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Back Exercises
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Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
latissimus dorsi, teres major and rear deltoid
which make up the large pulling muscles of
your upper back and eliminates the biceps
from the movement.
Pulley position: Narrow only.
Starting position:
• Lie on your back on the bench, head toward
the Power Rods. Your buttocks will
eventually be off the end of the bench.
• Slip your arms through the handles and slide
the cuff just past your elbows and tighten
cuffs.
• Grasp the cable with your palms facing
inward and slide your body down along the
bench far enough that your arms are fully
extended, knees bent and feet flat on the
floor.
• Although they will be overhead, position
your upper arms shoulder width or slightly
wider.
• Tighten your abdominals to stabilize your
spine while maintaining a very slight arch in
the lower back.
Motion:
• Initiate the movement by pulling your
shoulder blades down toward your bottom
while simultaneously pulling your elbows
forward to the front, then down and back
toward the sides of the torso.
• Slowly return to the starting position,
allowing your arms and shoulder blades to
move back up toward the Power Rods
without relaxing.
Key points:
• Do not lose spinal alignment.
• 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.
• This exercise may also be performed by
grasping the handles, although you will have
to slide farther down the bench to create
starting position tension.
LYING NARROW LAT PULLDOWNS — Shoulder Extension (with elbow flexion)
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
muscles in your low back (erector spinae and
deep spinal muscles) that are necessary for
providing stabilization and protection for the
spine. The lower back muscles are challenged
isometrically just like they should be used
when lifting and carrying in daily life. The
gluteus maximus and the hamstrings are also
strengthened at the hip.
Pulley position: Narrow only.
Starting position:
• Sit on the bench facing the Power Rods.
• Spread the cuffs from the handles and slide
them over the forearms up to the elbows.
• Place heels on the end of the platform, bend
the knees comfortably, cross your arms in
front of your chest and pull handles tightly
to your chest.
• Sit up straight, lift your chest, tighten your
trunk muscles and maintain a slight arch in
your lower back.
• Pinch your shoulder blades together slightly.
• Lean forward from the hips slightly letting
out some of the tension in the cables.
Motion:
• Keeping your chest lifted, move your entire
torso backward — as a unit — by pivoting at
the hips.
• Slowly return to the starting position
without slouching or changing spinal
alignment.
Key points:
• Keep your chest lifted and a very slight arch
in your lower back at all times.
• Move from the hips only, not your waist. Do
not increase or decrease the arch in your
lower back during the movement.
Alternate motion:
• From the same starting position, sit erect
and slowly allow your spine to flex forward
maintaining control of the weight.
• Slowly straighten and extend your
spine/trunk to a comfortable arch.
• Repeat with control.
• This version will require less weight than the
exercise above.
LOW BACK EXTENSIONS — Seated (with hip extension)
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