The pull of the lower block refers to the basic exercises. And not for those that are performed mainly by men who dream of a big back - this exercise is suitable for both the male half of the gym and the female. During its implementation, there is not a large increase in muscle mass. It is rather a tonic, working on a muscle lift. So, what is the traction of the lower block, the features of its implementation and effects on the body - we will find out in this article.
What muscles work?
The main goal of the exercise is to increase the strength and power of the back, give a V-shaped torso with wide shoulders and the illusion of a narrow waist. At runtime work:
- All muscles are antagonists of the back.
- Extensors of the spine.
- The bottom and middle of the trapezoid.
- The latissimus dorsi muscle.
- Big and small round muscles.
- Triceps and biceps.
- Forearms.
- Rhomboid muscles.
- The rear deltas.
- Stabilizers - large gluteal and adductor.
Benefits of exercise
With the right execution technique, the obvious advantages of the exercise are highlighted:
- Strengthening the muscular skeleton of the back.
- Creating the correct posture and straight back.
- The development of a beautiful back shape in the form of the letter V.
- Convenient and clear technique.
- Safety when compared to free weight exercises.
- Several options for high-quality development of all muscles.
Execution technique
Any exercise starts from the right starting point. We’ll start with her.
Preparation: Set the necessary weight on the simulator, fix the V-shaped handle. Sit on a bench facing the simulator. Grasp the handle with your hands - palms facing each other. Arms extended, back straight. This is the starting position.
Step 1: When the back is stationary, you need to bend your arms as you exhale, pulling the handle of the machine to the belt until it touches. We hold our hands as close to the body as possible, the movement occurs along the legs. We are held in this position for 1-2 seconds.
Step 2: With an inhalation we return hands to a starting position.
Step 3: Perform the required number of repetitions.
Athlete Mistakes
Exercise only seems so easy, in fact, athletes often make mistakes in its implementation, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of classes. The exercise “pulling the lower block to the belt” often causes the following errors:
- Straightened lower back. It should not be straight - the pelvis is laid back, and the chest is bent forward.
- Straight or strongly bent legs. The correct setting of the legs is important - they are slightly bent, and the feet fit snugly on the stand. If the legs are straight, the lever will be far from the athlete, and it will be difficult for him to keep his lower back curved. Conversely, with strongly bent the lever is too close, and the exercise will be ineffective.
- Emphasis on biceps. Many athletes do the exercise, pulling the weight towards themselves due to the tension of the hands. It is important to catch the moment when the pull of the lower block occurs precisely with the tension of the muscles of the back, and fix on it.
- Walking torso - back and forth. Only experienced athletes who use cheating when working with large weights can reject the torso. Exercise should be done with a straight back, but a relaxed lower back - so the muscles are stretched better, and their growth is accelerated.
It is not recommended to perform the exercise after deadlift, as the complex will create too much load on the spine. This may result in personal injury.
The subtleties of execution
Performing the exercise, taking into account all the intricacies recommended by experienced bodybuilders, you are guaranteed to achieve a good result. We divide the exercise into 2 segments - traction and return of weight.
Thrust from the starting position. The pull of the lower block should not be carried out at the expense of the muscles of the hand, but when the latissimus dorsi muscles are working - this effect is achieved by isolated retraction of the elbows back and compression of the shoulder blades. At the end point, you need to bring the shoulder blades together, strain all the muscles of the back and fix this position for 1-2 seconds. The legs cannot be fully straightened - they should be slightly bent and spring when pulling the unit. Elbows should be as close to the body as possible during traction.
Weight return. The second part of the exercise is smooth. Do not drop the handle sharply. Experienced athletes who have already completed large weights may slightly tilt the hull back. The straps can help with holding a large weight - wrap the handle of the handle with them.
It is important to carry out traction with insurance. For exercises on simulators, this is rare, but a competent assistant is needed here - not in order to hedge on large scales. He will follow from the side for the correct technique.
Classic horizontal traction
Experienced bodybuilders claim that classic traction is the most effective. In its implementation, the following rules must be observed:
- Shell grip - medium, palms facing each other.
- Feet rest on the stand with the whole foot, and not just a toe or heel. Feet should be clearly fixed on the front platform.
- The elbows and knees are slightly bent, the back is straight, the lower back bends. To load the latissimus muscles, the shoulder blades are brought together.
- In the first part of the implementation of the projectile is pulled to his shoulders and bringing the blades together. Hands work only at the end point, when it is necessary to completely reduce the shoulder blades and pull the weight to the stomach.
In the second part of the exercise, the torso is slightly forward, the back remains straight, the shoulders protrude forward.
Concerning the breathing technique, the opinions of experts were divided - some believe that inhalation is necessary for effort, and exhalation is for weight gain. Others are convinced of the opposite. We recommend trying both techniques and choosing the one that suits you.
Exercise variations
In addition to the classical form of exercise, there are variations of it:
- traction with one hand;
- traction with a rope handle;
- thrust with a wide direct grip;
- traction with a wide return grip.
The most common variety is the pull of the lower block with a wide grip. It is performed using a wide grip. When pulling the lower block with a wide grip, the load is accentuated on the upper part of the trapezius and rhomboid muscles, as well as on the back deltas. If with a narrow grip, the load on the biceps is emphasized with an increased amplitude, then with a wide grip the biceps are not loaded so intensively, but the amplitude of the exercise is reduced. The complex implementation of the exercise with various methods of holding the handle will allow you to work out all the muscles of the back.
The athlete chooses which grip is right for him. The main thing is to feel at what points the muscles of the back are most tense and stick to them. For training, it is important to choose a program for which classes are guaranteed to give results. For example, for the development of back muscles, the list includes traction of the upper and lower blocks while sitting. The technique of these two exercises is not particularly different, but their complex implementation will help to make the back powerful and beautiful.
How to add weight?
Each athlete selects weight for his physical form. But for progress to go on, the load needs to be constantly increased. To avoid spinal injury, do this smoothly. The optimal solution would be a block simulator with a step of 1.5-2 kg. For the load to be effective, the weight must be such that the athlete can do 6-8 repetitions of 4-5 approaches.
Remember that in any variation of the performance, the pull of the lower block is an insulating exercise, and you should not get carried away with large weights. The main thing here is to work well on the technique. To increase the load, you can, for example, reduce the rest time between sets.