Vertical hummer to the back. Back exercises

How to pump up a powerful wide back? How to achieve the coveted V-shape? What exercises are most effective in pumping up the back? How to train your back so as not to get injured and what exercises to choose if you already have problems with your back? You will learn about this by reading this article: “exercises for the back muscles.”

Back muscles

The back is a muscle mass, second in volume only to the muscles of the legs. This is a huge muscle group, including muscles located in layers of different depths. In this article, we will consider muscles only from the point of view of bodybuilding, so we will list the muscles that form the external relief of the back (from top to bottom):

1. Neck muscles (splenius capitis muscle);
2. Trapezius muscles;
3. Rhomboid muscles;
4. Latissimus muscles;
5. infraspinatus muscle;
6. Teres major and minor muscles;
7. Muscles - extensors of the back.

The back muscles are involved in almost all traction movements (latissimus, rhomboid), in which they are assisted by the rear deltoids and biceps. The back muscles also work in extending the body (back extensors), raising the shoulders (trapezius), and bringing the shoulder to the body (latissimus).

Exercises to strengthen your back muscles

Why do you need to strengthen your back muscles? The answer to this question lies on the surface. First of all, you need to strengthen the core muscles, which include the back muscles. long muscles extensors. Along with your abdominal muscles, a trained core will give you the confidence to do anything. heavy exercise you will avoid the risk of injury. Secondly, a trained, strong back is the key to the health of your spine. Thirdly, a trained back creates balance in an often pumped-up pectoral muscles, which in turn is fraught with injury deltoid muscles shoulder joint.

The very first exercise you should include in your training program is hyperextension.

Classic hyperextensions are performed in special simulator. Having rested your heels on special supports, we begin extensions, maintaining a slight deflection in the spine. At the top point of the amplitude, we avoid excessive lordosis - hyperextension of the spine. We make movements smoothly, without jerking. As you inhale, lower your body down for 2 counts, and as you exhale, lift your body up for one count. We do 15-20 repetitions. When the extensor muscles are sufficiently strengthened, you can use weights - pick up a disc, dumbbell or weight.

There are many variations of hyperextensions (on a fitball, on a horizontal bench, etc.). Some of them concentrate the load on the hamstrings and gluteal muscles, take this into account and when training to strengthen the back muscles, use hyperextensions specifically for the extensors of this part of the body.

Train your back muscles at least once a week (if you are training on a split program). If you are a beginner, one workout for all the back muscles in a strong, high-volume manner will be enough (if more often, the muscles will not have time to recover and the risk of overtraining will increase).

If you already have a certain base and you need a certain specialization, be it working on the width or thickness of the back, or you need good detailing and separation individual muscles on your back, then in your case you can split your back workout into 2 times a week. In one workout, do, for example, basic back exercises, and in another, work specifically on the lagging factor.

Try to perform a peak contraction in all exercises - hold the muscles in a contracted state for a split second at the point of amplitude with the greatest load.

Stretch your working muscles after each approach.

Basic exercises for the back muscles

Pull-ups are deservedly considered the most effective of the basic back exercises.

Wide-grip pull-ups work very well latissimus muscles back, which gives the back width and helps achieve a V-shaped contour. At the same time, pull-ups are not isolated exercise, it involves the shoulder and elbow joints, and from the muscles - in addition to the latissimus - the deltoid muscles (posterior bundle), biceps brachii (biceps) and other stabilizer muscles assist.

Due to the fact that such a thing is involved large number muscle groups, this exercise effectively works on strength and mass - it causes a hormonal surge and, as a reaction to it, a noticeable anabolic effect in the form of muscle growth.

When performing pull-ups to develop the back muscles, you should try to “disable” the biceps from the work as much as possible. To do this:

• There is no need to fully bend your elbows in order to get your chin above the bar (as in classic pull-ups);
• You need to try to pull the bar towards your chest, bringing your shoulder blades together;
• mentally concentrate on the work of the latissimus muscles. You need to pull your body up without bending your elbows, but by pulling your elbows down.

One more nuance. During pull-ups, especially when performing many sets and repetitions, your forearms will become “clogged”, which will prevent you from performing maximum quantity reps that your lats are capable of. To avoid this, use special straps. Sure, you need strong forearms, but let's train them separately and not at the expense of training your back.

Pull-up options:

You can further concentrate the load on your lats by performing overhead pull-ups.

If you cannot do pull-ups with your own weight, use a gravitron counterweight machine. You can also ask your training partner to “push” you at first until you can perform the movement on your own.

It is a myth that pull-ups are an exclusively male exercise. Pull-ups are perfect for the fair half of humanity in developing their backs. And a wide (within reason) back perfectly emphasizes the narrowness of the waist and creates an hourglass-shaped silhouette.

Stand in front of the barbell, bend down until it is parallel to the floor. While maintaining an arch in your back, grab the barbell with a medium grip. As you exhale, pull the barbell to your waist, while inhaling, slowly and under control lower the barbell to the starting position.

You can do the exercise with reverse grip. Vary the width and type of grip in such a way as to get the maximum feel for the target’s work. muscle group, namely the latissimus muscles.

T-bar row

Biomechanics exercise similar to the previous exercise. Watch your lower back and under no circumstances allow a hunched, “round” back - this can lead to spinal injury.

There are options for performing the exercise with your chest resting on the bench.

The most, so to speak, basic exercise. King of the base. An exercise that uses almost every muscle in the human body. A champion among exercises that stimulate the secretion of testosterone, which triggers anabolic processes and thereby muscle growth. The exercise is technically difficult and traumatic. This exercise is not recommended for beginners who have not mastered the technique and have not trained their core muscles. It is recommended that you learn the exercise technique under the supervision of an experienced instructor or advanced training partner.

Starting position: feet shoulder-width apart, parallel to each other. The legs are almost pressed closely to the barbell. Throughout the entire range of motion in the spine, it is necessary to maintain a slight deflection. Move your pelvis back. We grab the barbell at shoulder width. An “over-grip” is often used - one hand grasps the barbell from below, the other from above. Pulling your pelvis forward and lifting your back, lift the barbell, moving it along your shin. Mentally push the floor with your heels - this will help you perform the movement technically correctly. Straighten your back. Slowly perform the movement in reverse order.

There are many options for performing deadlifts: sumo deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, elevated deadlifts, deadlift with dumbbells, etc.

Dumbbell row with one hand, bent to the waist

Kneel on horizontal bench. Place your hand of the same name on the bench. With the other hand, pick up a dumbbell from the floor. With an energetic, but not sudden movement, by contracting the back muscles, pull the dumbbell towards the pelvic area. Do not lift the dumbbell to your chest. In this case, your biceps will take on the main load. Forget about your forearm, think of it as a hook and pull your elbow up and back through your back.

Execution option: rowing dumbbells with both hands simultaneously with the chest resting on an inclined bench:

Isolation exercises to develop back muscles

This classification is rather arbitrary, because exercises on block and hummer machines often involve more than one joint and can formally be considered basic. Nevertheless, these exercises, due to their biomechanics (a given trajectory and the absence of noticeable load on the stabilizer muscles), can be considered isolating.

Upper back extension exercise. Grasp the handle with a wide grip. Sit down on the bench. Lower the handle behind your head (option: to your chest) as you exhale. As you inhale, slowly lift the handle to the starting position.

Grasp the handle (options: narrow or wide grip). Sit on a bench with your legs slightly bent. Lean forward, stretching your lats. Straighten your back, but without swaying or inertia. Pull your elbows behind your back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do not move your back too far beyond the vertical and do not allow the counterweight to rise due to inertia. Slowly return to the starting position after the peak contraction. Traditionally, while pulling, exhale, and when releasing the load, inhale.

Traction in a Hummer

Hummer rows on a lever machine. As an option, alternate rows with each hand using different types of grip.

Bringing straight arms to the body in a crossover (pullover on a block)

Grasp the straight handle on the upper block of the crossover. Lean your body forward slightly, keeping your back straight. As you exhale, lower your straight arms down to your hips. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Good exercise for “finishing” after heavy basics with light weight in order to get more blood into the lats.

Exercises to increase back width

Exercises to increase the thickness and depth of the back

1. Bent-over barbell row

2. T-bar row

3. Horizontal rods

Exercises for the back if you have problems

If you have untreated back injuries. Or if you've had a history of injuries and are concerned about recurrence, you'll obviously need to be extra careful when choosing back exercises, as well as choosing weights with care and being especially careful with your form.

Back exercises for scoliosis and osteochondrosis

If there is a curvature of the spine, axial load must be avoided.

1. Pull-ups
2. Vertical rods on the block

Important: Avoid any exercises that cause pain!

A set of exercises for the back with dumbbells

1. Deadlift with dumbbells
2. Bent over rows of dumbbells alternately to the waist
3. Dumbbell row lying chest down on an incline bench
4. Shrugs with dumbbells for trapezius muscles

A set of exercises for the back with a barbell

1. Deadlift (or variations)
2. Bent-over barbell row
3. T-bar row
4. Shrugs on the trapeze with a barbell

Preventing injuries during back training

Healthy back is the key to your longevity in sports, so you need to be very careful about injury prevention. Choose your working weights carefully, do not chase the weight in order to surprise someone in the gym. Remember - the main thing is technique. A small amount of weight lifted with perfect form will do much more than lifting too much with the wrong technique and will save you from injury. Use a lifting (athletic) belt.

5 back exercises for girls:

Safe back training from Kostya Bublikova

• The frame of the Hamer shoulder machine is made of a profile pipe 80 x 40 mm.
• The block with weights is driven by a stainless steel cable 6 x 19, 5 mm in diameter; the maximum load is 1080 kg.
• The weight cable blocks in the Hummer Shoulder Trainer are made of stainless steel and finished with polyester powder paint.
• Decorative protection made of steel sheet ensures long service life of mechanisms and rotation units.
• The rotation units of the Hummer vertical press simulator are sealed ball bearings that do not require maintenance.
• The standard weight of installed weights is 2 blocks of 70 kg, which is created using 13 rubberized steel plates of 5 kg each and 1 top weight with a flute of 5 kg in each block.
• The soft elements of the shoulder trainer are filled with recycled polyurethane foam.
• The upholstery of the seat and back is made of vinyl artificial leather with a high-strength nylon base.
• The basis for the cushions in the Hummer vertical press machine is durable plywood on a steel frame.
• Rubber-coated plates move along chrome-plated steel guides.
• The frame of the Hummer shoulder press machine is painted using powder coating (for the standard version - metallic “diamond”).
• Individual elements are painted using powder coating (for the standard version - antique silver-black).
• The guides and rubbing parts of the shoulder trainer are treated with galvanic complex coating (chrome + nickel).
• The supporting parts of this strength training equipment for the gym are polished steel legs, which have holes for attaching the equipment to the floor, if such a need arises.
• Dimensions of the Hammer vertical press with reduction: 1490 x 930 x 1850 mm.
• Weight of assembled equipment: 265 kg.
• The Hammer shoulder machine - vertical press with adduction is made in such a way that people of any height and weight can exercise on it.

Hammer shoulder machine - vertical press with adduction (2 x 70 kg)

Hammer weightlifting machines are designed to work the deltoid muscles by pressing vertically upward while seated. The exercises simulate a barbell or dumbbell bench press while sitting on a bench with a backrest. This equipment combines the uniform resistance and convenience of a cable trainer with the best features of a Hummer. The shoulder trainer has a height-adjustable seat, which allows people of different heights to exercise; and also regulate the range of motion. The user's weight is not limited, the machine is suitable for amateurs and professional athletes of any height and build. To order this machine or its alternative: bench and barbell for weightlifting, as well as others sports equipment, leave a message to the manager.

It is important to note that the angle of the backrest of the Hammer vertical press with adduction is selected from the condition of maximum loading of the anterior deltoid muscles, which creates comfort for the athlete and the best development of the muscles being trained. The athlete can work with each hand independently. Smooth sliding of loads and silent operation of the Hamer shoulder machine is ensured by chrome-plated guides and rubber-coated load tiles. Like a power rack for a barbell with safety stops, the machine guarantees the safety of exercise.

Starting position – sitting facing the machine. The back is straight. The chest rests against the back of the machine. Feet are on the floor or on a special platform.

Horizontal traction technique

1. Load the required weight into the machine. Adjust the seat height so that the handrails are at chest level. Grab the handles with a forward or reverse grip. This will be your starting (starting) position.
2. Inhale and pull the handles of the simulator towards you, keep your elbows near your body and move them as far back as possible, bringing your shoulder blades together.
3. At the bottom of the movement, exhale, pause briefly, and slowly lower the handles to the starting position.

Advice. To work out the working muscles as much as possible, keep the weight of the machine constantly under tension, and do not allow the weight to return to the supports of the machine. Do not rest while performing the exercise! :)

Horizontal row in the back trainer. Exercise Data

Type: Power

Main Working Muscles: Lat

Other Muscles: Biceps, Mid Back

Equipment: Simulator

Type of Load: Basic (multi-joint)

Level: Beginning

Sport: No

Horizontal row in the back trainer. Performing the exercise

This is a basic exercise works great latissimus dorsi muscles. The work includes the teres major muscle, rear deltoids, biceps, and forearms. If you bring your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement, the middle of your back is also involved - the trapezius and rhomboid muscles.

What muscles work

Muscles and approximate effectiveness of the exercise for working muscle fibers:*

Back muscles:

Latissimus and large round: 100%;

Diamond and trapezoid 90%;

Shoulder muscles:

Rear deltoids: 60%.

Arm muscles:

Forearms: 70%;

Biceps: 70%.

*Subjective assessment, depends on the technique of performing the exercise.

Seated horizontal row. Option for rear delts

The thrust is horizontal. Application Exercises

To whom: Everyone, from beginner to master.

When: At the beginning or in the middle of a workout for the back muscles. Before rowing on a horizontal machine, perform rows upper block close grip, and after rowing on a horizontal machine, do dumbbell rows with one hand.

How many:

Endurance - 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps

Weight loss/relief/drying - 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions

Weight – 4-6 sets of 6-10 reps

Strength - it is better to do the barbell row exercise while standing in a bent-over position.

The back muscles are the second largest muscle group in human body. She only loses to her legs. The middle part of the back is formed by the latissimus muscles or, as they are also called, wings. The development of these muscles makes the back wider, more prominent and forms a V-shaped silhouette. One of the exercises for training the lats is the lever row or hammer row.

Advantages of the simulator

The lever action specifically targets the mid-back area. The beauty of performing the exercise in a machine is that your body is securely fixed and your spine does not experience unnecessary overload. At the same time, you are free to use the vertical and horizontal handles to change your grip and adjust the seat height to shift the emphasis of the load to the upper, middle or lower edge of the lats.

This exercise effectively develops your back.

In other words, when performing hummer rows, you get a fairly large variability of movement, and the spine is safe. The latter, in turn, allows you to work with heavy weights.

The Hummer makes it easy to do rows with one hand. In this case, some athletes prefer to perform the exercise while standing, resting their second hand on the back.

Latissimus muscles.

Among positive effects that you will get by including the exercise in your training program, you can also note that the development of a large muscle group gives the figure a visually noticeable athleticism and sporty appearance.

It is also worth mentioning contraindications. If you have problems with the spine or injuries, any exercises that load the back can only be done with the permission of a doctor. Otherwise the traction is quite safe.

Execution technique

The back row in a lever exercise machine is done as follows:

1. Prepare your equipment. Adjust the seat height of the machine to suit your height. When performing the movement, your hands should be directed towards the belt.
2. Sit down and rest your chest on a vertical surface. The spine is absolutely straight, the shoulder blades are pressed. Stretch your arms and grasp the handles of the machine. If you are using narrow grip, elbows should be pressed to the body. When you pull the horizontal handles (wide grip), your elbows move out to the sides.
3. Pull the handles towards you, bringing your shoulder blades together as much as possible at the end point of the movement. During the movement, the chest is “glued” to the supporting surface of the simulator, the position of the spine does not change. Don't lean back. It is also a mistake to turn your upper body to the side when performing one-arm deadlifts.
4. Lower the weight, but do not return it to the support. The muscles must be tense all the time.

As a rule, lever deadlifts are done in 3 sets of 8-12 reps. It can be included in your workout along with other back exercises: bent-over barbell rows, one-arm dumbbell rows, or cable pull-downs.

An important feature of this exercise is that when pulling the levers towards the body, the biceps are included in the work.

The more force you produce through your biceps, the less it goes to your back muscles. But the biceps itself is smaller and weaker than the back, and accordingly gets tired earlier. As a result, you can no longer pull and the lats are not properly loaded. To avoid this problem, try to pull your elbows, not your hands, back. Focus on working your back muscles and try to turn off your biceps as much as possible. This ability to control muscle function does not come immediately, but every athlete needs it to achieve high results.

The load on the lats depends, among other things, on whether you pull the handles of the exercise machine towards your belt or chest. In the first case, the top of the lats is loaded the most, in the second - the lower and middle parts.

In this article, you will learn absolutely everything about the exercise - lever traction in the simulator.

Lever rod is an option.

This exercise is also similar (in mechanics) to one-arm dumbbell rows, but due to the vertically positioned body, performing it is much more convenient, simpler and, of course, safer (for the spine).

The exercise is designed to work the latissimus dorsi muscles in THICKNESS (note this, not in width, as in pull-ups, etc., but in THICKNESS).

It also works the teres major, rhomboids, trapezius, rear delta and biceps.

Lever pull: execution technique

Before performing the exercise, you need to correctly configure the simulator for yourself:

• SEAT HEIGHT (where your butt will be located); Your task is to adjust the height of the seat so that when you do rows, your hand is at the level of your waist (at waist level). Also in this regard, pay attention to how you grasp (height) with your hand the handle (lever) that you will pull. Take it lower (this will help to pull towards the waist and not towards the chest).

Most people make a mistake in this regard. When pulling towards themselves, their hand is at chest level = and this is wrong, because the muscles of the arms (biceps) work in this way, and thus they steal the load from the latissimus dorsi muscles, and you want to work your back, don’t you?

• SUPPORT (vertical surface) in which you will rest your CHEST. Your task is to adjust it in such a way that you can almost completely straighten your arms at the end of each repetition, as if practically “putting the projectile in place” but not putting it down. This will allow you to increase your range of motion and stretch your latissimus dorsi muscles further.

That's it. These are the basic rules for setting up this simulator for you. The correctness and effectiveness of the exercise depends on the correct settings. So adjust it correctly :)

NUANCE: the exercise can be performed with one hand (and not both at once), this is exactly what I would recommend to you, because this will allow you to work the muscle more efficiently:

• Firstly, this will result in more concentrated work;
• Secondly, this technique will allow you to take a little more weight than if you did it with both hands at the same time (two is heavier).

NUANCE: with your non-working hand (the one that is not performing the pull), be sure to hold onto the support lever.

About grips: what grip should you use?

3 grip options: palms down, palms up and palms facing each other.

Use a grip with your palms facing each other. This is how, at least for me, the back muscles work best. That's why I recommend it to you too. You can see for yourself, of course :)

And so, you adjusted the exercise machine correctly, sat down, straightened your spine, rested your chest against the support, grabbed the lever with your working hand, grabbed the support with your non-working hand, and you began to do the exercise.

EXHALEING => you begin to pull the handle of the exercise machine towards you (to your belt), and firstly, during the pull, be sure to keep your hand closer to your torso (do not move it away from your torso, but rather press it closer to your torso) = this will increase the load on the lat muscles, and secondly, pull the handle of the exercise machine towards your waist and move your elbow back as far as possible (so that the shoulder blade comes together and contracts).

This way, firstly, you will increase the amplitude of the exercise, therefore, you will make the exercise harder, and therefore more effective, and secondly, this way the back muscles will work as efficiently as possible.

IMPORTANT: during the exercise, keep your body FIXED and MOTIONAL! Those. rest your chest against the support, and when performing deadlifts, do not tilt your body back (do not cheat).

An example of the seat being adjusted incorrectly (pulls towards the chest and not towards the waist as it should) and an example of the body not being fixed and leaning backwards (cheating)…

This is one of the most basic mistakes made by the vast majority of people. All because people are excessively chasing weight, ala: “than more weight= the better, I’ll pump up faster.” Don’t chase the weights too much, and the progression of the load is IMPORTANT (without it, muscle growth is impossible), but not to the detriment of the technique of doing the exercises. Understand? Technology comes first!

RULE: progression of the load is achieved without compromising the technique of performing the exercises.

RULE 2: cheating (in this and not only this) exercise can only be used by professionals. Advanced athletes! And then, at your own discretion. Ordinary people = no!

Then, under control (and not throwing), lower the lever to its original position (to the lowest point), and attention: lower it to such a level that you can almost completely (but not completely, slightly, very slightly bent in elbow joint) straighten your arm at the end of each repetition, i.e. your task is to practically “put the projectile in place” but also not to put it down (so that the load does not go away). This technique will allow you to increase the range of motion and stretch the latissimus dorsi muscles further.

Then repeat everything again for the number of repetitions you need. I recommend 3x4 sets in the 10-12 rep range. And finally, I recommend watching this visual video:

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Best regards, administrator.