Lever pull in the trainer – an exercise for a strong back and beautiful relief

Fitness is always a competent combination of isolation and basic exercises. Those who find a clear balance between them will train their muscles correctly. Today together with the trainer we will analyze in detail the exercise for back muscles – lever pull in the trainer.

Pasaules klases fitnesa treneris

“Lever pull in the simulator is an isolated exercise aimed at developing the back muscles. The difference between lever trainers and block trainers is that the load is transferred not through a system of blocks and cables, but through one or several levers. And, as a rule, block pulling machines (“hammers”) have two levers for each arm, which allows you to vary the load and work on one arm at a time”.

A little about lever pulling

The lever pull in a trainer is performed in a “humvee”. As a rule, it consists of a seat, footrests, a soft stop, and two handles, which you will use as levers during the exercise. If the trainer is designed for horizontal pulling, the handles will move forward and backward, and if for vertical pulling – up and down.

As we have already said, work in this machine loads the back muscles, but most of all – the broadest muscles. And they just give the main volume. If you want a beautiful back, the lever pull should definitely be in your training plan.

Tehnika

Proper technique is important when working with any equipment. Pay attention to all aspects of the exercise, including the starting position and how you do the movement itself. If there is a problem or error in even one of these points, the exercise can be considered improperly performed. If the technique is incorrect, there is a high risk of injury.

Lever pull

Execution technique

• Starting position: sitting in the trainer, feet in a stable position. The back retains its natural curves.
• The width and type of grip are determined based on the type of machine, task and end point of the amplitude.
• Deviation of the body is mainly due to a 10-15° backward extension in the thoracic region.
• As you exhale, pull the handles up to the level of the chin in the case of the vertical version or to reach an angle of 90° between the shoulder and forearm in the case of the horizontal version.
• Ieelpojot atgriezieties sākuma pozīcijā.

Perform two or three approaches of 15-20 repetitions.

Remember that this is an isolation exercise, so you will have to do at least a few more basic exercises before it. You don’t usually have much energy left for isolated exercises, but that’s the point. They are less tiring, but it’s important to perform them strictly according to the technique so that the load is as heavy as possible and still correct. They work on one specific muscle or muscle group, which is the so-called “top-up” after the main workout.

What muscles are being worked?

If you are going to do the lever pull in the “humvee”, you probably want to work your back well. And you’re in luck, because this exercise engages the trapezius, rhomboid and broadest muscles of the back. It also works the deltoid, triceps and biceps muscles of the shoulder, so your arms will also get a good workout. You will also load the large and small round muscles of the back.

Variations and progression of the exercise

Above we mentioned in passing that there are two varieties of lever pulls – horizontal and vertical. The first is similar in biomechanics to the frontal pull in a block trainer or dumbbell pull in an incline, and the second – the upper block pull or pull-ups.

In simple terms, when performing vertical pull, the levers are on top and you need to pull them down. And when doing the horizontal one, the levers are in front of you, you need to rest on a pillow and pull them towards you. And if the vertical will help you pump the upper back, as well as develop the width, the horizontal will be suitable for pumping the broadest, as well as trapezius and rhomboid muscles.

Grips also vary: pronated and supinated. The first is straight, when the back of the palm is turned away from you, and the second – when they, on the contrary, look at you. The pronated grip engages the upper back and the broadest muscles more.

You can also use parallel grip, when palms face each other. It is possible in case we are talking about two parallel hands. A wide grip will help you to load your back muscles more strongly, while a narrow grip will help you to relieve them by concentrating the load on your arms.

Progression, in addition to the standard increase in working weights, is to increase the time the muscles are in work. To do this, you can perform exercises one arm at a time, either alternating them through each repetition, or pausing at the end of the concentric phase (after the pull) with both arms or one arm at a time.

Methodological instructions

Boris Ilyin: Start the movement by lowering and bringing the shoulder blades in. At the end point of the amplitude the forearms should be close to the perpendicular with the floor, the elbow joints should be in the plane of the sternum. The handles of the exerciser – in projection on the clavicles – in vertical version. At the end point of the amplitude, the angle at the elbow joint should be approximately 90° – in the horizontal version”.

Perform the movement at a controlled pace, avoid inertia and collision of weight plates or disks against the stops, the muscles must be in tension at all times. Control the correct curvature of the spine.

We have told you everything we know about the lever pull in the trainer, but we cannot but remind you of the importance of warming up, which should precede the training. Warm-up should be understood as activation of the central nervous system, as well as prestretching. CNS activation – what is it? It sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite easy, let’s explain it now.

CNS activation – what is it and why?

Our nervous system operates according to two algorithms, if we are talking about uncontrolled actions, i.e. breathing, pulse. They are called “sympathetic” and “parasympathetic”. And if the second is the relaxation of the body, when we are in a comfortable situation, then the first is when the processes in our body go into “combat” mode.

Activation of the CNS will allow you to improve your performance during training: you will become more flexible, more agile, your coordination will work better. To do this, you need to do the usual warm-up, which should be dynamic, including explosive movements. But at the same time do not overstrain, you just have to help the body to adjust to the working mood.

Do not forget about stretching, about warming up the joints, so that they become more mobile and the risk of injury is close to zero. The more responsible you are, the better you will do, it’s as simple as that.