Push-ups for back muscles and trapezius muscles
Ah, pull-ups ... are considered in the collective subconscious as one of the most complex bodyweight exercises, and therefore pull-ups discourage more than one ... WRONG! By following our tip on movement performance and respecting a few ground rules, everyone can hit the top pull-ups, even if they're technical in performance.
Whether you want to gain strength or develop your muscles, or train at home or in the weightlifting room, overhand pull-ups can quickly become a key exercise in your gym training. What are the muscles used in pulling the pronunciation? How do you perform the movement well? How do you progress? With François Abraham, athletic trainer at Domyos Fitness Club, we invite you to discover this bodybuilding exercise: the pullup.
What is upper drag?
The arm pullup is a very complete bodybuilding exercise that consists of lifting your body weight with the sole force of your arm and back, in a suspended position.
Over-the-hand pull-ups are mostly performed during strength training or mass training sessions. Also called "pulling," this type of traction is part of the polyarticluaires family of exercises, i.e. exercises that work several muscle groups at the same time. There are various forms of pull-ups, which can be accessed by level. We detail it a bit below, but you can click here if you're too concerned to wait (we get you).
The push-up movement is a technical movement that puts a lot of pressure on the shoulders and joints. The scapula (in other words, the scapula) plays a key role in the proper execution of the pulling motion, making it an excellent exercise for building your back muscles.
What are the benefits?
Overhead pull-ups will build strength and power. The emphasis is on the back (back). Aesthetically speaking, it will help you increase the display size. For this reason, they are often associated with the famous V-back.
The good news is that everyone can practice their top pull-ups. With minimal strength, training and good execution of the movement, you will be able to progress quickly, whatever your basic level. Pull-ups can be adapted to your level, but also where you practice. Therefore, it is equally suitable for those who wish, but for lovers of cross-training who prefer to meet in the box. We'll also often find cup pulls in WODs. Francois, athletic trainer at Domyos Fitness Club explains,
"The pull-up movement is also a basic movement that is very much in demand in competitions such as police, gendarmerie, firefighters, or in athletic coach exams."
Is it okay to do pull-ups every day?
All targets and objects are different. However, doing withdrawals every day is not a very good idea. To gain strength, build muscle, and keep progressing in your sport, overtraining is not your friend. Your body needs rest so that the muscle fibers can rebuild effectively. You risk losing the benefits of withdrawals if you make them every day!
What parts of the body work in hand pull?
When performing the arm pull-up, you will primarily work two parts of your body: your back and your arms. Let's take a closer look at the muscles that are affected.
back muscles:
In the push-up, the focus is on the latissimus dorsi muscle. These are the muscles most involved in the movement. The trapezius muscles, which consist of three bundles (upper, middle, and lower) are also subjected to severe stress during the upper pull. The lower trapezius is the most involved, especially during the ascending phase. Other back muscles involved in the movement are the teres major, supraspinatus, and, to a lesser extent, the rhomboid and vertebral muscles (muscles located along the spine).
arm muscles:
Although the biceps are mechanically disadvantaged during the upper grip, they still interfere during the movement. Another muscle worked during pronation pull-ups: the long raised muscle. This forearm muscle ensures flexion of the elbow and, as its name suggests, its main function is nothing but supination.
What is the difference between pronation and lying down?
Lying down or lying down? The difference lies in placing your hands on the pull-up bar.
Hand position:
● In pronation: hands back in front of you, palms out. The grip of the bar is slightly wider than the shoulders.
● In lying down: your palms facing up, so your back is facing out. Grip the tape at shoulder width.
So the effect on muscle work is different.
At the level of the joints:
● In pronation: the action of adduction of the shoulders associated with elbow flexion.
● In lying down: shoulder strain associated with elbow flexion.
At the muscle level work:
● In the pronation: the accent is placed on the latissimus dorsi muscle, but also on the lower trapezius. Biceps are at a mechanical disadvantage, so latinas do the heavy lifting.
● In lying down: the latissimus dorsi muscle is also required, but to a lesser extent. Here, the emphasis is on the biceps (which is not surprising, since one of the main functions of the biceps is nothing but the supination of the forearm).
Nothing is better than the other. Both have their own characteristics and can be complementary.
“It will be a question of choosing according to the focus you want to put on this or that muscle,” the coach specifies.
ℹ Note: Straight pull-ups are easier for those who are just starting out. In the supine grip, you will use your arms more to pull yourself up. So the execution is easier, because you put less pressure on your spine.
How do you do spoken withdrawals?
Warm up:
Like any bodybuilding exercise, the pull-up movement should be performed after the warm-up. This will allow you to prepare your muscles, tendons, and joints for the efforts that will follow. Warming up also helps anticipate injury risks. After a few movements of the shoulders, elbows and wrists, you can perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions: ● scapula thrust (push up without bending the elbows) ● scapula pull (push up without bending the elbows).
This type of work will make it possible to contact the shoulder blades and avoid injuries to the small rotator muscle and the main rotator muscle.
basic position:
➡️ Stand below the drag bar. Your fist is slightly wider than shoulder width.
➡️ Your arms are not fully extended, bend them slightly to maintain your joints. Your shoulders should not be relaxed at the risk of causing tension.
➡️ Your legs are tense.
Abdomen, legs, buttocks... Your whole body should be sheathed. Avoid placing your legs on top of each other to keep the body as tightly as possible: the legs won't wander during the effort and won't interfere with the movement.
Carrying out the push-up movement:
➡️ Once it snaps into place, pull your arms up to pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Only your arms should pull you in.
➡️ Once your chin goes past the bar, come back down while pressing into the movement.
ℹ Make sure that your elbows remain parallel to the body, not twisting to the sides.
Breathing :
Inhale on the way up, so as you pull in, exhale on the way. "The apnea, in particular to have more strength, can be allowed only in a few repetitions," coach Francois defines.
Learn to do pull-ups as a beginner
If you are just starting out, here are 4 exercises you can do to get familiar with the movement and gain strength before you can perform a full pull-up.
⇾ Machine Assisted Pulling:
The goal of the machine is to make you gain enough strength to then be able to perform pull-ups without assistance. In this device, the mass of the load can be adjusted and allows you to balance your body weight, in order to help you with movement.
➡️ First adjust the load you want to roll, then sit on your knees on the machine platform.
➡️ Grab the handles with an upper grip and then perform pull-ups.
Gradually, as you progress, you will be able to reduce the help burden on the device.
⇾ Pull with Elastic:
Ideal for beginners, the flexibility will make it possible to lighten the weight of the object to be towed.
➡️ To put it to good use, make a loop with the rubber band in the middle of the band, then pass the other end of the band around your knees or feet.
➡️ Then make withdrawals as usual.
You can perform 4 sets of 8 reps.
Choosing the elastic is key! There are many resistors, it's up to you to find the one that helps you the right way. You have to feel the voltage at the end of your chain, otherwise the rubber won't fit because you're not working hard enough. If that's the case, Change the elastic to take a lighter one, ”determines our expert Francois.
⇾ Decentralized withdrawals or negative withdrawals:
Bring a crate or chair: The goal here is to be able to climb onto a support in order to start your traction at the top of the bar.
➡️ Grasp the bar with a raised fist, then make a downward motion.
➡️ Hold this movement for 5-8 seconds.
When you get to the bottom, change your position at the top with the stool to start the movement again.
In this exercise, you'll perform only one part of the pull: the passive phase. Here you can do shorter sets, for example 4 sets of 3 repetitions.
⇾ Draw Pull:
The idea here is to help you with your movement with the help of jumping. We explain to you the following:
➡ Put yourself under the pull-up bar, then jump and grab the bar and pull up the rest of the movement.
➡️ Once you reach the top, perform the normal downward movement. Then start again.
It is the impulse and momentum of your body that will help you in the movement and allow you not to perform the entire upward phase. You can perform 4 sets of 10 reps.
What mistakes should be avoided?
❌ Take a bad posture ❌
If you have difficulty performing the movement or if you feel exhausted at the end of a streak, poor reflexes tend to take over. For example, the back may be rotated, and the chin and head may be inclined to pull to pass the bar. Such reactions should be avoided as much as possible, as they will break the alignment of the body. So make sure you keep your head straight, your body aligned, your chest open, and your shoulders folded back. This will avoid stress.
Lack of control over proportions
Once you have completed the first phase of the drawing, don't hold back with all your efforts! Maintaining muscle contraction during the descending phase helps preserve tendons and joints while strengthening muscle action.
❌ Don't sheath
Abdominal girth, buttocks, legs ... your entire body should be encased when doing pull-ups! It is this wrap and this voluntary control of your body that allows you to maintain good posture by avoiding, for example, rolling back. The contraction of the abdominal girdle and the rest of the body also helps you do the movement.
❌ Relax the shoulders
During pull-ups, you can straighten your arms. However, be careful not to suddenly release your shoulders or body, for fear of injuring yourself. Here, the danger is directed mainly towards the shoulder and the joints that can go into shock after lateral overextension.
How do you progress in traction?
To advance in the pushup, you first have to work on your strength. Here are three exercises that will allow you to develop them.
pull my shoulder:
Shoulder traction is widely used by mountaineers or rock climbers, with the goal of gaining strength in the shoulders and shoulder blades while avoiding injuries as much as possible.
During shoulder traction, instead of drawing all the force from your arms to perform your movements, you will primarily be using your shoulder blades (hence the name shoulder traction). This type of exercise allows you to gain range of motion, build strength in your shoulders, and reduce stress on your arms, shoulders and joints, thus reducing your risk of injury.
⇾ isometric work:
Isometrics are a constant contraction of the muscle and the maintenance of this contraction, without movement of the joints. So it is a voluntary contraction of the muscle. For example, the most famous type of isometric exercise is the plank. In bodybuilding, this type of exercise is not intended to increase size, but to increase the strength of contracted muscles.
➡ This is what isometric traction work looks like: Once at the top of the bar, hold the position for 5 seconds by tensing the muscles, before going down.
⇾ Eccentric Action:
Here, we will focus on the passive phase of traction, that is, on the transition from contraction to muscle elongation. If we take the example of the biceps muscle, in the case of tension, the concentric phase corresponds to the rise, when the muscle is contracting, and the eccentric phase corresponds to the descent, when the muscle is elongated.
➡️ In push-ups, this action therefore consists of slowing down during the descending phase by controlling your movement well (counting between 5 and 8 seconds to descend).
What are the forms of clouds from above?
⇾ Wide Fist Reversal
This variant engages the muscles on the outside of the back more, especially the latissimus dorsi, and allows you to gain volume in width. The difficulty level is very high and it will require some strength.
⤷ Make this variation only when you have mastered the basic movement well. If performing this exercise is too complicated, you can reduce the range of motion at first, until you gain strength and are more comfortable.
➡️ The movement stays the same, and only your grip will change.
Start with a fist slightly wider than your shoulders and spread your hands apart as you go. The wider it is, the more difficult it is to add. You can hold a fist up to twice the width of your shoulders (no need to go any further).
⇾ Narrow Fist Inversion
In a firm grip, the hands should be spaced less than shoulder width apart. The tighter your grip, the more muscles the inner part of the back (around the spine) will have. This alternative will make you gain thickness in the back muscles.
➡️ The movement remains the same as in the classic drag.
⇾ Strengthening excess weight
A very interesting alternative to weighted pull-ups allows you to add an additional load to your body weight in order to strengthen muscle work. Simply add the desired weight to your weight belt or vest.
The movement remained the same.
⇾ Australian Transactions
A classic form of drag, the Australian drag is also known as the horizontal or reverse row. The goal remains the same: do a stretching movement for your body weight. With this variant varying, your body will be positioned horizontally under the bar and not vertically.
➡ Put yourself under the pull-up bar, align your bras on the bar and put your hands into fists. Your legs are outstretched, your heels are touching the floor and your whole body is sheathed.
➡️ Now pull your arms to bring your torso toward the bar, then return to the initial position.