Performing exercises requires availability sports equipment. If the equipment is occupied, then similar loads can be performed, but using other devices. Each simulator helps pump up one or another muscle group. We can talk for a long time about how to replace bringing the arms together in a crossover, because the simulator works different muscle groups of the arms and shoulders.
Description of the simulator
The crossover takes up a lot of space because it consists of two racks with weight and a special support that connects these blocks. Performing the load is as follows: a weight is selected, a handle is taken in each hand and they are pulled together. You won’t be able to do this kind of exercise at home without a simulator.
But in the gym you can find many options that will help replace the exercise machine. As for the muscles that are pumped with the help of the crossover exercise, this is a whole atlas. The work involves the upper and medium bun pectoralis major muscle and anterior deltoid group.
Exercise options
To work different muscle groups, you can perform the load both standing and sitting. For separate groups there is a lying option. Upper and lower block rows in the simulator can be performed with different inclinations housing, which increases load efficiency.
Bringing your arms together while lying down in a crossover helps to work the chest muscles, focusing on the upper part and arm muscles. Both experienced athletes and beginners can exercise on the simulator. Correct technique, rhythm and breathing will help you achieve good results.
You can start with a vertical stand, and use different options during the training process. One simulator can comprehensively pump various groups muscles.
Variations for the chest
To the question of how to replace bringing your arms together in a crossover to actively pump up your chest muscles, you can give several answers. The most optimal option is the bench press, since here activity occurs on the lower section of the pectoral muscles.
To achieve the effect, you need to do several sets of 10-15 repetitions. The bench press with a barbell can also be replaced with a similar exercise with dumbbells, which increases the range of motion. Vertical press helps to work out top part chest and touches the shoulder muscles.
Bench press with dumbbells refers to best exercises to work the pectoral muscles. It can be performed both in a vertical position and with different inclinations. Thanks to this, the muscles of the arms, forearms and back will be included in the process, and the muscles of the chest are also actively worked out.
A good way to replace bringing your arms together in a crossover is to raise dumbbells to the sides in a lying position. In terms of efficiency, it resembles a crossover and a “butterfly” exercise machine, since it gives a directed load on pectoral muscles.
Push-ups on parallel bars and regular push-ups help to sculpt the oblique muscles and strengthen them well, and here the load is distributed among the muscle groups of the arms
Bringing hands together on a crossover
Bringing hands together at Crossover
Training the chest muscles can be very varied, so athletes often alternate exercises in their program. Among the effective ones is bringing your arms together on a block simulator. The simulator is also often called a crossover.
This exercise serves as a complement to heavy types of training. For example, it can be final after bench press in any position, work with dumbbells and weighted push-ups.
The exercise is isolating. It only works for the group of internal and lower muscle bundles. Although indirectly the load also goes to the deltoids and triceps of the arms. The exercise cannot be the main one, as it does not put the proper load on the pectoral muscles. But it performs the task of stretching, which is important for muscle growth. At the same time, the exercise itself does not grow muscles, but shapes them, that is, creates reliefs and correct contours. For those who care most appearance body, exercise becomes an integral part of the workout.
Working in a crossover loads the external and inner part breasts This occurs depending on the position in which the arms are brought together. If the position is lying down, then the internal part is working, if standing, then they are training external muscles breasts
It is important to perform the exercise correctly from the technical side, as this is for the safety of the body. The load must be transferred to the triceps, so it will come off elbow joint, and the likelihood of damaging it will decrease to almost zero.
Those who are chasing muscle mass often ignore technique; they try to perform as many repetitions as possible, but it is worth understanding that repetitions, unlike their correctness, have less influence on the result.
The peculiarity of the crossover is that it becomes an almost complete replacement for any equipment used to work out the chest. It is also often used during injuries. Execution exercises easy, the exercise machine allows you not to overload your muscles.
The simulator is practically non-hazardous, you don’t need a partner’s insurance, but to adjust your performance, the first ones are better Conduct training under the supervision of a trainer.
Crossover technique
- If you are standing, then you should take the handles of the machine, your elbows should be slightly higher than your back. Move one leg back a little. The back is slightly bent forward. It is necessary to monitor the body: if the tilt is too great, it will additional load on the lower back, which can negatively affect its condition.
- The elbows should remain in one position, only the arms work. At the entrance, bring your hands to the maximum, stay in this position for several seconds.
- Next comes a return to starting position, while you need to exhale.
- The lying exercise is done on a bench. To do this, you need to press your back, lower back and head tightly against the back of the bench.
- The bench is installed in the middle of the crossover.
- Lying on a bench, you need to bring your arms together and spread them like dumbbells.
- When finishing the exercises, you should not drop the load, otherwise you may injure yourself.
It is important to monitor your breathing: if it goes wrong, you can get tired too quickly and not meet the training requirement.
Using a crossover, you can work out the inside of the chest well. The exercise machine will be an excellent replacement for dumbbells. Today, crossover exercises are becoming one of the most popular for all people visiting the gym.
At first glance, it is difficult to perform a hand pinch, but once you learn correct execution, the athlete quickly and easily copes with a large number approaches. A person with little experience can do crossover exercises; 4 sets of 20 repetitions are recommended: both standing and lying down.
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A wide variety of simulators today delights many amateurs. strength training. Crossover is one of the popular exercises among bodybuilders, which is performed on two block-type exercise machines at once.
With the help of the crossover exercise, you can actively influence the inner and lower part of the pectoral muscles; the deltoids and triceps are also partially loaded. Already the first few workouts will demonstrate results.
Execution technique
Movements in a crossover do not require special technical skills.
When performing them, you should adhere to the following provisions:
- Place yourself among two block devices: legs apart, hands on the rope handles, spread to the sides, back slightly tilted forward, pelvis abducted, resting on the full foot.
- Perform the reduction to the level of the hips, with fixation at the bottom for a few seconds and tension on the chest. The pelvis, back and legs remain motionless.
- You should return to the starting position smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Perform the downward movement as you exhale, upward as you inhale. The arms should not straighten; there should always be a bend in the elbows.
- After finishing, the handles are released one by one.
This is a classic version, but there are also variations. For example, doing it on your knees. This method can be used if you want to learn how to properly contract and isolate the chest muscles. For variety, you can try performing the information from a lying or sitting position.
There are several technical tricks that will add to the effectiveness of influence.
It is worth remembering that the weight of the burden plays important role, but the effectiveness of the influence will depend on the form of execution, namely on the amplitude of movements and the strength of tension at the lowest point when the arms are brought together. Rational technique does not involve any impulsive, only controlled movements. The arms should move synchronously at an angle to the body, and constantly remain in the same plane.
The exercise is similar to the one on the abdomen, but it provides more significant tension to the chest, and therefore trains them better.
Another advantage is that there is no need for partner insurance; work in this mode is completely safe if all technical requirements are met.
Typical mistakes when performing crossover mixing are:
- excessive slope of the body, “rounding” of the back; (similar to)
- too sudden movements;
- performing movements with straight arms;
- lowering the arms too deeply.
Inaccuracies in the crossover technique lead to the fact that the tension is distributed irrationally and falls mainly on the shoulder girdle and across, while the pectoral muscles remain secondary.
What muscles work
Bringing your hands together in a crossover resembles the flapping of a bird's wings. The main load falls on the chest. Only the shoulder joints work, the triceps are only lightly loaded. To be more specific, the lower head of the pectoralis major and minor muscles works with emphasis, and the serratus anterior and upper clavicular parts assist in performing movements as well as the delta.
Visually, inclusion in the work looks like this:
The function of the stabilizer is performed by the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle, forearms, abdomen and spinal extensors.
Nuances
Paying attention to the methodological features of performing information, it is worth remembering several important aspects, starting from your goals and experience in the gym.
Chest training for beginners should be included in the weekly training system twice. Experienced athletes can add two more. At the same time, in the schedule of one lesson it should be at the beginning of the main part. Performing the exercise against a background of increasing fatigue will not bring the desired results. You should perform no more than 3-4 approaches (depending on your experience in the gym). The adequacy of the influence of the information also depends on the number of repetitions in the approach: 10-12 times will ensure an increase in muscle mass, 6-8 repetitions will increase strength capabilities.
If the crossover is used to “wake up” the chest muscles or to get rid of extra pounds, should be done large number repetitions, but do not use heavy weights. A good option would be to gradually increase weight and then lose it after reaching the maximum.
Cross-rover crossovers can also be performed using a power belt. It will help stabilize the core. This will allow you to add a few more reps to your total. If you have enough experience working in this mode, and there is a desire to continue to increase the weight, it is important to use wrist straps, this will reduce the stress on the joints.
To enhance the effect of the information, there are several small secrets.
Secret 1. Combine two exercises into a complex, performing them sequentially. First do 30 classic push-ups, then work your chest on the crossover 10-15 times. The recovery period is 40-45 s, and then repeat two more approaches. Thoracic region Thus, they will effectively warm up and begin a new cycle of adaptation to such loads.
Secret 2. Use a horizontal lava and perform a crossrover from a lying or sitting position. The effect on the chest will be enhanced by excluding the back and legs from the work. When performed this way, the load does not spread throughout the body, but is accentuated in the required area, that is, jeweler precision is observed in its effect on the chest.
Conclusion
Achieving results is not easy in any business; hard work and self-improvement are always important. The crossover exercise is no exception, because it requires considerable effort.
But, we can guarantee that after high-quality and perhaps not too long work in this mode, you can get the body of your dreams and double the joy that a person has overcome not only a physical, but also a moral and volitional barrier.
- one of the most famous isolation movements aimed at pumping the pectoral muscles. It can be done in various ways, namely, bringing the arms together in a crossover while lying down, standing and sitting. In the first two positions, it is possible to change the angle and direction of the arms to shift the load on the lower, middle or upper sections of the chest muscles.
For most gym-going athletes, the main exercises for gaining muscle mass in the pectoral muscles are the dumbbell bench press, barbell press, and bench dumbbell flyes. But excellent result It doesn’t just end with gaining weight; you also need to give shape to your pecs. And the crossover isolating exercise will help you cope with this task.
The athlete's chest should look like two muscle plates, reminiscent of armor. The separation of all sections of the chest should be clearly visible, as well as the line of separation of the left and right halves. You won't be able to achieve all this by doing just basic exercises. To fully form the pecs, you need to perform a crossover with your arms.
Crossover Exercise - Benefits
Many people neglect this exercise. Advantages of this method:
Missing bench
The main advantage is the lack of back support. When performing hand movements in a crossover, the shoulder blades are not pressed against the bench and move freely in a natural way, which significantly relieves the back.
Good stretch
“Finishing” and stretching the muscles promotes a greater supply of blood/oxygen, and with them nutrients - this is very important for muscle development.
Continuous chest tension
Due to its special design, the crossover provides continuous resistance throughout the exercise. In short, the load on muscle goes in any position of the hands and additionally work the stabilizer muscles, which is not the case in exercises with free weights.
Aesthetics
The pectoral muscles become more pronounced and take on a defined shape.
Less stress on shoulders
Unlike the bench press, the crossover puts less destructive stress on the shoulders, which allows you to protect them.
Variations
Different body positions and arm movements allow you to diversify the training of the chest muscles.
Bringing your arms together in a crossover - execution technique
It would seem that you are pushing and pulling, but the correct execution plays a very important role. Technique:
- Place equal weight on both sides of the double block. Take the handles and accept stable position in the middle of the simulator. Take a step and lean your body forward, keeping your back straight. Stretch the handles to the sides until the chest muscles are slightly stretched. The elbows are slightly bent and located behind. Take a breath. This is the starting position;
- By contracting the chest, bring the crossover handles to the center in a wide arc as you exhale;
- At the end point, bring your arms together and take a short pause, contracting the muscles as much as possible;
- Slowly and under control, in the same trajectory, return to the starting position;
- Movement should only occur in shoulder joints, keep your body and elbows motionless;
- Perform crossover crossover movements as many times as necessary.
Let's consider the option of pumping the lower area of the pectoral muscles.
Common Crossover Exercise Mistakes
Most often you see such errors when executing information in a block:
- Round back.
- Elbows pressed to the body.
- Right angle at the elbows.
The main nuances of bringing hands together in a crossover
We focus on the most important factors:
- Follow correct technique execution - this will ensure good stretching and contraction of the muscles.
- Choose an appropriate weight that will not interfere with proper technique.
- At the end point, squeeze your chest additionally, maintaining the state of muscle contraction for 1-2 seconds.
- Do everything under control and slowly, do not use impulse movements.
- The main work should be done only by the chest; to do this, move your shoulders back/chest forward.
- Move your hands simultaneously and in the same plane.
Crossover Exercise Variations
The good thing about pinch hands is that you can change the position of your hands and the load will go to other areas of the pectoral muscles. Execution options:
Crossover while standing
Focus on the middle area of the chest
Reduction of arms in a standing crossover for the upper pectoral muscles
Crossover lying down
It is rare to find people who perform the exercise in this way. But it is precisely this variation that works for muscle mass. You just need to install a horizontal bench in the middle of the machine and lie down. The movement will be similar to dumbbell flyes, but more effective due to the continuous stress on the pecs.
Crossover while sitting
This position eliminates the stabilization work of the body and legs. Sitting on a bench, the exercise takes on maximum focus on the pectoral muscles.
To whom, when and how much
To whom
When
The exercise is formative and is performed at the end of chest training. It will not be amiss in front of him.
How many
10-15 times, 3 approaches. Always do the last reps of the last set to failure.
Bringing your hands together in a crossover will help you develop perfect shape chest muscles, but first you need to gain weight to form them.
Masses and relief to you!
One of the most famous isolation exercises for pumping up the pectoral muscles, but it doesn’t pump up the entire chest, as many people think. In general, the reduction can be performed at different angles; this angle will determine which part of the pectoral muscles the load will fall on. Accordingly, the load can be emphasized on different parts of the pectoral muscles, and since the exercise is performed with a light weight, then, in fact, what part of the pectoral muscles is trained depends on the angle at which the athlete performs the crossover.
Exercise is not a way to build muscle mass, but experienced athletes, with at least one year of training experience, can include it in their training program. The fact is that the less trained the athlete, the less work his muscles can do. That is why the first year you should perform only basic exercises. You, of course, can do more work, but this will lead to overwork, you will drive yourself into overtraining and reduce the effectiveness of your visits gym to zero.
Work of muscles and joints
Bringing the arms together in a crossover loads the outer or inner part of the pectoral muscles, which depends on how the athlete performs the exercise. If the exercise is performed standing, then the load is received outer part chest, and if lying down, then internal. It should also be noted that when correct technique The biceps will also receive the load, which should relieve the load from the elbow joint. But you need to fix your shoulders and try to exclude them from the work.
If the technique is incorrect, when the athlete is chasing weight, bringing the arms together in a crossover can even lead to an injury to the elbow joint. But, if the athlete does everything correctly, then this can be avoided. Moreover, even when the exercise is performed standing, bending forward completely removes the load from the spine. And, in general, the exercise does not involve the use of large training weights and is performed in a simulator, so it is very difficult to get injured.
Bringing your hands together in a crossover - diagram
1) If you are performing the exercise while standing, then you should take the handles of the crossover and stand in the starting position, bending forward slightly and raising your elbows above your hands.
2) Without moving your elbows, bring your hands together so that your palms intersect, then return to the starting point.
3) If you perform the exercise lying down, then you will need a bench, which you should place in the middle of the machine.
4) Lie down on the bench, having previously taken the handles of the exercise machine in your hands, and then begin to move them in and out as if you were doing dumbbell flyes.
Crossover Crossover – Notes
1) When performing the exercise while lying down, it is best to use the help of a partner who will hand you the handles of the simulator.
2) The elbows should always be fixed when bringing the arms together in a crossover, which will help isolate the triceps and relieve stress on the elbows.
3) Again, when performing a flattening while lying down, it is best to keep your feet on the floor, firmly resting your heels, which will provide better stability.
4) In both cases, the head should be in the same position and look forward, do not lift it off the bench or lower it down.
5) Try to increase the range of motion, which will help to better engage those areas of the pectoral muscles that usually do not receive stress.
Anatomy
The crossover crossover allows you to stretch your chest, replacing the dumbbell fly, but, unlike the fly, by performing this exercise while lying down, the athlete gets the opportunity to better work the inner part of the pectoral muscles. Breasts are big muscle group, so it’s difficult to steal the load from her, but if this part of the body is lagging behind, then bringing your arms together in a crossover can be very useful.
On the other hand, the exercise is formative, and it is also performed in a simulator, which does not allow the load to progress effectively. But the exercise is almost completely safe for joints. It is precisely these characteristics of bringing the arms together in a crossover that make this exercise indispensable during an injury, and is also well suited for those athletes. Those who have not yet learned to feel their pectoral muscles, which is why they do not receive enough load during more complex exercises.
