The pull to the belt of the lower block is a basic exercise. It activates quite a lot of muscle groups. In this case, the latissimus dorsi are the target . And the secondary groups are represented by: pectoral muscles, biceps, shoulder, lower back muscles, quadriceps and extensors of the thigh, as well as the forearm.
It is believed that this exercise is best suited for those who want to make their back wider. The most effective version of the exercise is considered a modification using a forked handle, which allows you to hold the brushes parallel to each other. In terms of anatomy, exercise refers to horizontal traction. It is performed in a sitting position and, by the nature of the movement, resembles rowing.
Now let's take a closer look at the exercise called pulling to the belt of the lower block.
Training
This exercise requires the fulfillment of certain conditions:
- The height of the bench or seat should be such that the cable is parallel to the floor when pulling.
- The body should in no case slide forward, which means that the feet should have a comfortable support.
- The handles can be either fixed on a common basis, or separated from each other.
- One way or another, it is desirable that when doing traction, the palms look at each other.
Seating the lower block to the belt: execution technique
So, first you need to sit on a bench and pick up the handles. Then it’s worth pulling them towards you until the back takes a vertical position, while maintaining its natural bend in the region of the shoulder blades. In this case, the hands should be straight. This is the starting position.
Now you need to inhale, hold your breath and start craving:
- The first phase of the movement (it is also intermediate) ends at the moment when the elbows are in line with the body, and the angle of the elbow joint bend is close to straight.
- Further, the hilt extends a little closer to the waist so that the elbows extend back beyond the body. This is where the second phase begins.
- From this position, you need to pull your shoulders back as much as possible and try to move the shoulder blades. The more powerful contraction of the latissimus dorsi you achieve at this stage, the more effective the exercise.
- Then you need to quickly exhale and return the handles to their original position, keeping the back straight and motionless.
When working with heavy weight, wrist straps can be used.
Errors and nuances
Carrying out an exercise such as craving for the belt of the lower block, you need to ensure that the elbows are pressed to the body. If they are set apart, it will not lead to anything good. Thanks to the elbows pressed to the body and the shoulder blades maximally laid back, this exercise allows you to well load the latissimus dorsi muscles, and more precisely, their lower part.
If you extend your elbows to the sides, the load will shift to the upper back, the middle bundles of the trapezius muscles and the rhomboid muscles. Thus, the exercise simply will not fulfill its main task.
The body, as already mentioned, should be vertical throughout the entire movement. However, slight deviations at the beginning and at the end of the movement are permissible. They should not exceed 10 degrees. The limited amplitude of the torso is determined by the need for safety net against injuries of the lower part of the spine.
Exercise can be done with a straight bar, that is, the palms will look down, and not at each other. If, holding the crossbar, to direct the elbows to the sides and up, then the middle part of the trapezius muscle, the back of the deltoid muscle and the rhomboid muscle will be involved in the work.
If the crossbar has a bend in the middle, and its ends are turned back, then, pointing the elbows down to the body, you can almost completely exclude the delta from work. But if you put your elbows up and to the sides, then the deltas will participate in the movement very actively. Both options load the trapezoid and rhomboid muscle well.
It turns out that the craving for the belt of the lower block at different positions of the elbows and the use of various crossbars allows you to deeply work out all the muscles of the back: the broadest, rhomboid, trapezoid, round and, finally, the back bundle of deltoid muscles of the shoulder.
Conclusion
As you can see, the pull of the lower block to the belt by hand, or rather, by hand, despite the apparent simplicity, has a number of important nuances. Only by realizing them and working on the right technique can you achieve good results. An alternative to this exercise is pulling the bar to the belt while standing in an inclined position. In sports literature, one often encounters the phrase “lower block / bar pull to the belt” and, although these exercises are similar from an anatomical point of view, they are very different from each other in terms of technology.