Back Exercises
LYING SHOULDER PULLOVER ShoulderExtension(elbowstabilized)
Muscles worked: This exeivise emphasizes the
upper back (tire latissimus dorsi, teres major,
and rear deltoid muscles). It also involves tire
chest (the pectoralis major muscles). The
tliceps muscles, located on tire back of the
upper arms, are involved in maintaining the
elbow position and also help with shoulder
motion.
Pulley position: Narrow.
Starling position:
• With the hench flat, lie on your back with
your head toward the Power Rods. Position
yourself f;_renough down tire bench to allow
the arms to extend overhead without hitting
the Power Rods. Keep the knees bent and
feet flat on tire floor.
• Extend tire arms overhead and grasp the
handles with your pahns facing the ceiling.
• Tighten your abdominals to stabilize your
spine while maintaining a very slight arch in
the lower back.
Motion:
• Move your hands in an arc upward and then
down toward yore legs.
• Keep your shoulder hlades on the bench,
pinch them together and slide them
downward toward yore hips as yore arms
nrove.
• End the motion with your arms hy your
sides, pressing your shoulder blades down,
completely tightening yore lats.
• Control the return to the starting position by
slowly moving tire arms back overhead and
releasing tire shoulder blades.
Optional motions:
• Bilateral movement both arms pulling at
tire same time.
• Unilateral movement performing all reps
with one arm before moving to tire next.
• Alternating performing one rep on one side
and then the next rep on the other side.
• Simultaneously alternating both arms
moving, although in opposite directions (one
pulling while tire other is retmning).
Key points:
• Do not lose spinal alignment. Relax your
neck, keep your chest lifted, abs tight and
maintain a vei N slight aich in your lower
back.
• Keep tire lats tightened throughout the entire
motion.
• Release your shoulder blades at tire end of
each rep and initiate each new rep by
depressing your shoulder blades.
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FINISH
WIDE PULLDOWNS Shonlder Addt,ction (with elbow flexion)
Muscles worked: This exeivise emphasizes the
latissimus dorsi, teres major and rear deltoid
which make up the large pulling muscles of
your upper hack. It also involves tire muscles
on the front of your upper arms (the biceps
group) which are responsible for bending your
elhows.
Pulley position: Lat tower.
Starling position:
• To determine tire appropriate grip width for
you, hold your upper arms straight out to
the sides at shoulder height. Bend your
elbows approximately 90 degrees. Your
hands shotfld he no wider than yore elbows.
(For many individuals slightly less than
elbow width is more conffortable.)
• Facing the Power Rods, grasp the har at a
width determined ahove, then sit on the
bench.
• Position your knees directly under the
pulleys and sit upright with your arms
extending upward. NOTE: Youmg(y position
your hips directly under &e polleys but &en
yoo must lean back slight(y from hips (not the
waisO.
• Maintain good spinal alignment, chest lifted,
ahs tight and maintain a very slight aiv'h in
your lower hack.
Motion:
• Initiate the movement by pulling your
shoulder hlades down and together while
simtfltaneotMy drawing your elbows
downward to the sides, and then inward,
toward your trunk.
• The bar does not have to touch your chest
but, at tire end of the motion, yore arms
should be drawn near yore sides, yore
shoulder blades should be fully depressed
toward your hips and yore forearms must be
in line with the direction of the cables (not
rotated forward).
• Slowly retmn to the starting position
allowing yore arms and shoulder blades to
move fully upward, without relaxing the
muscles.
Key points:
• From the side view the forearms should
appear to remain in line with the cahles.
• Do not lose spinal alignment.
• Do not lean hackward as you pull.
• Keep the chest up, especially at the hottom
of the movement.
• Keep your lats tightened throughout the
entire motion.
• Do not move your elbows posteriorly on the
way down.
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FINISH
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