Yates pulling: exercise technique, what muscles are working

The Yates Pull-Up was named after the famous bodybuilder and six-time Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates. The athlete loved this exercise for its effectiveness. Today, we’ll discuss with our trainer how and why to do the Yates pull.

DDX Fitness trainer.

“The Yates pull is a basic, multi-joint exercise for back muscle development. At its core, the Yates pull is something between the classic incline barbell pull and barbell shrugs.”

Table of Contents

What is the Yates pull?

It’s an exercise Yates invented to work the mid-back. Some athletes think that it is not very different from the usual barbell pull in the incline, but in fact it is not so.

Unlike the incline pull, where the position of the body tends to be parallel to the floor to maximize the stretch of the broadest muscles of the back, the angle between the body and the vertical in the Yates pull is approximately 30 degrees. Varying the angle of the body is required to shift the load in favor of the trapezius and rhomboid muscles of the back. In general, this exercise utilizes more muscles.

It is important to note that a beginner is more likely to perform the Yates pull than the classic incline pull. This is due to the fact that the slight inclination of the body in the Yates pull allows you to reduce the load on the extensor muscles of the spine. Even if you are not very experienced in free weight training, you will probably be able to cope with this exercise.

And a little more about arm work. The incline pull involves moving the elbows backward only. This is necessary to contract the broad muscles. But during the YATS pull, the elbows should go not only backwards, but also slightly upwards, take this into account.

Dorian Yates

What is the correct way to perform the Yates pull?

Although this exercise is not very difficult, it requires full concentration and awareness of all the nuances. We have described detailed instructions so that your very first approach was qualitative and confident.

But before we move on to the main part, let us remind you about the difference between the pronated and supinated grip, because this exercise can be performed in different ways. Pronated grip is the classic grip, when the palms of your hands face downwards, and supinated grip – when, on the contrary, the palms of your hands face you.

The second grip is more comfortable, as the movement of the arms along the body with the subsequent convergence of the shoulder blades behind the back will occur much more naturally, but in this case, the biceps are actively involved, and in the case of using a large weight of the projectile or incorrect technique, the risk of injury to the biceps brachii increases dramatically.

Technique

Place your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Tense the cortical muscles to stabilize the body. Remove the bar from the racks, an alternative would be to lift the bar from the floor, that is, performing a classic standing pull.

The grip can be either straight or reverse, its choice depends on the level of training and the weight of the projectile.
Now to take the starting position, slightly tilt the body forward, about 30 degrees.
Shoulders should be lowered, elbows looking back and slightly to the sides.
As you exhale, start pulling your elbows up. The forearms should be pointed strictly downward to avoid active involvement of the biceps. Imagine that from your elbows to the bar, instead of forearms, you have ropes holding the apparatus.
As your elbows move up and back in relation to the body, bring your shoulder blades together.
Bring the bar to the bottom of your abdomen.
Return to the starting position.

What muscles are involved in the Yates pull?

The Yates pull engages many muscles. The trapezius, its middle and upper segments, which are responsible for the movement of the upper limb girdle and for bringing the shoulder blades together, work actively. Rhomboid muscle – it is responsible for bringing the shoulder blades together and lifting them slightly. The broadest muscle, the large round muscle, the hollow muscle, the posterior bundle of the deltoid, and the long head of the triceps, it is responsible for the extension of the humerus.

If you use the reverse grip, that is, supinated, the biceps muscle of the shoulder, which is responsible for the flexion of the forearm, will be actively included. And, of course, let’s not forget about the cortical muscles, they will help to maintain a neutral position of the spine, not allowing the body to bend under the weight of the projectile. The leg muscles will also work, stabilizing the body position.

Yates pull progression

If the Yates pull seems too easy for you, you can take more weight, this will increase the load on the muscles. But take this point with caution, increase the weight little by little, do not add 20-30 kg at once.

You can constantly add weight – start the first approach with the minimum, and with each next approach increase the load. Or, on the contrary, first perform the exercise with the maximum weight for yourself, and then pause, take the minimum weight and continue to do the exercise without pauses for a greater number of repetitions.

Yuri Averyanov: As for progression, it is better to use the so-called micro-progression, i.e. start with a small increase in the number of repetitions in an approach due to the growth of strength, and only then add load.

To increase the time of muscle tension, slow down the pace and perform the pull slowly. Or pause at the top of the pull for a few seconds to increase the load on the muscles.

Recommendations for the exercise

In terms of safety, despite the small angle of inclination when working with significant weights, it is better to use a weightlifting belt, because there is a risk of snapping your back. In case of lack of hand strength, you can use straps. These aids will help not to be distracted by non-target muscles, focusing on the trapezius.

To reduce the risk of biceps injury during strength training with a low repetition range, use a straight grip.

Before training, be sure to perform a warm-up. Preparation is necessary, because it provides the stretching necessary for muscles and tendons, which will help to further avoid injuries and damage, giving you the opportunity to move more freely. It also tones the cardiovascular system, the work of which is very important during training.

Our body and central nervous system adapt to external conditions, they adapt to everything we do, so it’s important to let them know that there is going to be a serious load. The more thoroughly you warm up, the better your body will be ready for training. But don’t overdo it, you shouldn’t be tired before the main part of the class even starts.

The main advantages of the Yates pull

The exercise was invented by the most famous and very successful bodybuilder. But it often happens that such elements are suitable only for those who have been practicing sports for a long time and are already at a serious level of training. Yates pulling is not the case, you can safely try it, the main thing is to choose the optimal weight. For this purpose we recommend you to consult a specialist, he will help you to create a competent training program.

specialist in general physical training

“It’s better to perform this exercise second, right after the vertical block pull or deadlift. The Yates pull is a strength exercise, so three or four sets of 8-12 repetitions each will be enough. For a safer and more controlled movement, you can perform it in a Smith machine or use wrist straps to hold the bar more comfortably in your hands.

Benefits of the Yates pull

Most of the load is placed on the middle and lower trapezius. Developing them will make the back more massive.
Due to the small inclination we can work with more weight, so this pull is useful for gaining muscle mass.
The exercise is technically easier than the incline pull, so it is easier to master.
The load is placed on the back extensors. Together with a high working weight, the exercise makes these muscles stronger, thus reducing the risk of spinal injuries.

Contraindications

Finally, let’s look at who should not perform the Yates pull. This applies to those who are concerned about back pain. In the presence of various injuries or diseases such as spondylosis, herniated discs or osteochondrosis, we recommend refraining from performing the exercise.