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Back Exercises
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Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
upper back (the latissimus dorsi, teres major,
and rear deltoid muscles). It also involves the
chest (the pectoralis major muscles). The triceps
muscles, located on the back of the upper arms,
are involved in maintaining the elbow position and
also help with shoulder motion.
Pulley position: Narrow.
Starting position:
• With the bench flat, lie on your back with your
head toward the Power Rods
®
. Position yourself
far enough down the bench to allow the arms
to extend overhead without hitting the Power
Rods
®
. Keep the knees bent and feet flat on the
floor.
• Extend the arms overhead and grasp the handles
with your palms 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 your legs.
• Keep your shoulder blades on the bench, pinch
them together and slide them downward toward
your hips as your arms move.
• End the motion with your arms by your sides,
pressing your shoulder blades down, completely
tightening your lats.
• Control the return to the starting position by
slowly moving the arms back overhead and
releasing the shoulder blades.
Optional motions:
• Bilateral movement – both arms pulling at the
same time.
• Unilateral movement – performing all reps with
one arm before moving to the 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
the other is returning).
Key points:
• Do not lose spinal alignment. Relax your neck,
keep your chest lifted, abs tight and maintain a
very slight arch in your lower back.
• Keep the lats tightened throughout the entire
motion.
• Release your shoulder blades at the end of each
rep and initiate each new rep by depressing your
shoulder blades.
Lying Shoulder Pullover Shoulder Extension (elbow stabilized)
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
latissimus dorsi, teres major and rear deltoid
which make up the large pulling muscles of your
upper back. It also involves the muscles on the
front of your upper arms (the biceps group) which
are responsible for bending your elbows.
Pulley position: Lat tower.
Starting position:
• To determine the 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 should be no wider than
your elbows. (For many individuals slightly less
than elbow width is more comfortable.)
• Facing the Power Rods
®
, grasp the bar at a width
determined above, then sit on the bench.
• Position your knees directly under the pulleys
and sit upright with your arms extending upward.
NOTE: You may position your hips directly under
the pulleys but then you must lean back slightly
from hips (not the waist).
• Maintain good spinal alignment, chest lifted, abs
tight and maintain a very slight arch in your lower
back.
Motion:
• Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder
blades down and together while simultaneously
drawing your elbows downward to the sides, and
then inward, toward your trunk.
• The bar does not have to touch your chest but, at
the end of the motion, your arms should be drawn
near your sides, your shoulder blades should
be fully depressed toward your hips and your
forearms must be in line with the direction of the
cables (not rotated forward).
• Slowly return to the starting position allowing
your 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 cables.
• Do not lose spinal alignment.
• Do not lean backward as you pull.
• Keep the chest up, especially at the bottom of the
movement.
• Keep your lats tightened throughout the entire
motion.
• Do not move your elbows posteriorly on the way
down.
Wide Pulldowns Shoulder Adduction (with elbow flexion)