🚨 TUTORIAL BACK EXERCISES
🔥 CABLE ROW VARIATION
- Target muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
- Synergists: Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Teres Major, Posterior Deltoid, Rhomboids, Levator Scapulae, Middle and Lower Trapezius, Sternal (lower) Pectoralis Major, Pectoralis Minor
- Mechanics: Compound
- Force: Pull
✅ Starting position
- Sit on the cable machine and grasp the straight bar using a shoulder-width supinated (underhand) grip.
- Slide your buttocks backward and straighten your back. The cable should be pulled taut, and your arms and shoulders should be stretching forward.
✅ Execution
- Keeping your elbows close to your body, exhale as you pull the bar to your abdomen.
- Hold for a count of two, stick out your chest, and squeeze your back muscles.
- Inhale as you return the bar to the starting position, with your arms and shoulders stretching forward.
- Repeat.
🔥 KNEELING CABLE LAT PULLDOWN
✅ Starting position
- Attach a stirrup (handle) to two high cable pulleys.
- Position a bench or chair midway between the two pulleys.
- Grasp a stirrup in each hand and sit directly under the pulleys, holding the stirrups using a neutral (aka parallel) grip (palms facing each other). The cables should be pulled taut, your arms should be fully extended, and your shoulders should be stretched upward.
✅ Execution
- Exhale as you pull the stirrups downward until your elbows are by your sides.
- Hold for a count of two, stick out your chest, and squeeze your back muscles.
- Inhale as you return the stirrups to the starting position, with your arms fully extended and shoulders stretched upward.
- Repeat.
🚨 V BAR PULL DOWN VS Reverse-grip lat pull-down ❌WRONG VS ✅ RIGHT
✅ Starting position
- Sit on the lat pull-down machine, adjusting it so that your thighs fit snugly under the supports.
- Grasp the bar using a shoulder-width supinated (reverse or underhand) grip (palms facing you).
✅ Execution
- Exhale as you pull the bar down until it touches your upper chest.
- Squeeze your back muscles and hold for a count of two.
- Inhale as you return the bar to the starting position.
- Repeat.
✅ Comments and tips
- Pull the bar down with your back muscles, not your arm muscles.
- Keep your torso still.
- Extend your arms fully on the return phase.
- Your biceps only act as dynamic stabilizers, along with the long head of your triceps.
- The wide-grip lat pull-down is great for your upper lats and teres major. It widens them and gives you that broad v-taper. The reverse-grip lat pull-down emphasizes your brachialis (in your upper arm) and your lower lats, giving you lats that run farther down your sides. Therefore, use both variations.