Performance exercises for the development of back muscles important not only for building a beautiful body, but also for improving health.
However, due to a number of limitations associated with past injuries, injuries and lack of training experience, training with a barbell for the back of the body may be contraindicated in the gym. In this case, for the development of back muscles, it is possible to resort to the help of specialized simulators.
Kinds
In terms of their effectiveness, simulators for strengthening and developing back muscles are not inferior to barbells and dumbbells. During the performance of athletic movements on simulators, a large number of muscle fibers are involved in the work. Exercises such as the deadlift are generally a full-fledged basic movement. They can replace the classic pull-ups.
Exercise machines for the development of back muscles are ideal for use in the training process among girls and women. Different types of structures make it possible to make the optimal choice of equipment, depending on the constitution of the body and the level of physical fitness. By type of design, back trainers in the gym are conventionally divided into 3 main categories.
Lever or articulated
Sports equipment of this type is a rigid frame, to which movable levers are attached through a hinge joint. The frame is equipped with a seat and a vertically oriented backrest. Most often, the seat has a number of adjustments. This allows you to adjust the simulator to the height and build of the person involved.
The main feature of the lever trainers is the complete absence of a transmission mechanism from weights to the handle of sports equipment. The operating weight is placed directly on the articulated arms.
This is both an advantage and a disadvantage of this type of simulator. On the one hand, rigid fixation and a clear trajectory of movement of the hands of the engaged girl reduces the risk of injury. This plays an important role in the selection of equipment for beginner athletes.
On the other hand, the impossibility of changing the trajectory of the handle during training imposes a number of restrictions on the use of lever trainers. Before starting each workout, this equipment requires careful and precise adjustment.
It can take up to 10-15 minutes. Which is not very convenient in a crowded gym. Where a queue of 2-3 people can gather for each simulator. In this case, continuous adjustment of the equipment will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the training.
However, lever machines have one more indisputable advantage over block devices (discussed below). Athletic barbell pancakes are used as weights. This allows you to select the amount of load with an accuracy of half a kilogram. Block trainers, due to the peculiarities of their design, are not able to offer such functionality.
There are the following types of lever machines that mimic the athletic movement with a barbell:
- Pull of levers in a vertical plane. The exercise is analogous to pull-ups on the bar.
- Pull of levers in the horizontal plane. It is widely used as an analogue for the bent barbell row. The movement can be performed with one hand or with both hands at once.
A T-bar is often referred to as a lever trainer. It is an inclined platform with support legs and a fixed bar with a handle.
Block trainers for the development of back muscles
The block type exercise machines for training back muscles in the gym are a prefabricated structure.
It includes:
- Horizontally oriented frame. It has seats and retaining rollers that help athletes to securely fix the body during exercise. In modern exercise machines, the backrest and seat cushion have a wide range of adjustments. Thanks to this, men and women have the opportunity to sit on a sports equipment with maximum comfort.
- Vertically oriented frame. It contains the load and the system of simulator blocks. Through the blocks with the help of a cable or elastic band, the weight of the load is transferred to the handle of the simulator.
Depending on the type of exercise being performed, the weighted cable can be pulled down or up.
There are also combined options that allow you to change the height of the extreme block in the simulator. In this case, the handle of the simulator can be adjusted directly to the anthropometric parameters of the girl involved. When the initial height of the handle changes, the angle of attack on the target muscle group also changes.
This technique can be used when there is a need to diversify the training process, and there is no technical or physiological opportunity to add new exercises to the training plan.
The main advantage of block equipment over lever trainers is the relative freedom of the movements performed. A rope or elastic band does not restrict the exercising person. The athlete has more opportunities to feel the target muscles work. This is very important especially at the beginning of the training process.
But the more freedom sports equipment provides, the higher the risk of injury when using it. A properly tuned link machine can provide the same level of muscle response as block machines.
Trainers that allow you to train your back muscles using your own weight
Back trainers in the gym can work on a target muscle group with more than just additional weights. Widely used and used sports equipment involving the lower back, exercises with which do not require the mandatory use of additional weight. One of them is hyperextension.
The body extension (straightening) trainer consists of two main elements:
- The fixed frame, which is the base of the equipment.
- Inclined or parallel to the floor ramp. In the front part, pillows are mounted on it to fix the body of the girl engaged. At the opposite end on the platform, there is a platform for supporting the feet and a support roller. When the center of gravity is shifted during the exercise, the roller prevents the body from tipping forward and protects the athlete from falling.
Despite the simplicity of the design, the hyperextension trainer allows you to train the long extensors of the back (lumbar spine). Strengthening these muscles has a positive effect on posture and the health of the entire musculoskeletal system.
Indications for the beginning of use
Strengthening and developing the muscles of the back of the body is necessary for all girls and women who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The vertebral column is the support for the spinal cord.Nerve threads pass between the vertebrae and are sent to all systems of the body. At the slightest displacement of the vertebrae or muscle spasm, a person may experience problems with internal organs.
So, curvature of the thoracic spine and blockage of the corresponding nerve endings in girls can cause stomach problems, and then gastritis. Therefore, strengthening the pastoral chain (which also includes the back muscles) is extremely important for all people living in a modern metropolis.
Contraindications for use
Despite the obvious benefits of exercises for the development of back muscles, there are a number of contraindications, in the presence of which training can be harmful to health.
| Contraindication | The nature of the restriction |
| Pregnancy | You can do back exercises using exercise equipment during pregnancy. However, the advice of the supervising physician should be followed. |
| Chronic joint diseases | Diseases in which irreversible changes in degenerative properties occur (arthritis and arthrosis) impose a complete restriction on exercising in the gym. |
| Untreated injuries and injuries | Working with pulleys and lever machines can help speed up the recovery process. But before starting training, you should consult your doctor. |
If at least one of these contraindications is present, you should limit your training activity and seek the advice of a trainer or medical professional.
Fitness equipment rating
Back trainers in the gym take up a significant amount of the total area of the fitness club. Among the wide variety of sports equipment for various purposes and designs, there are 3 most popular and demanded simulators for developing the muscles of the back of the body.
Row of the upper block to the chest
The pull of the upper block to the chest is one of the basic athletic movements.
During its implementation, the following paired joints are involved:
- elbow;
- brachial.
When performing traction of the upper block, all back muscles are included in the work.
Depending on the width of the grip and the position of the hands on the horizontal bar of the simulator, the emphasis of the load can shift from one muscle group to another.
| Grip option | Working muscles |
| Hands are shoulder width apart. The grip is straight (hands, palms, clasp the bar from the outside). | The main load is shifted towards the top and middle of the latissimus dorsi. In this case, it is important to monitor the position of the elbows at the lowest point of the trajectory. They should move along the body and go beyond the virtual plane passing through the sides of the girl involved. In other words, at the extreme point of the amplitude, the elbows should go behind the back. |
| The arms are much wider than the shoulders. Straight grip. | With this variant of placing the hands on the crossbar, the emphasis of the load shifts towards the large round muscle of the back. This is a paired muscle located on the outside of the back of the body. She is responsible for feeding (protruding) the chest forward. When performing a row of the upper block with a wide stance of the arms, it is necessary to pay close attention to the trajectory of movement of the elbows. At the lowest point of the amplitude, they should tend to the sides. You shouldn't take them beyond the hull line. |
| The arms are slightly narrower than the shoulders. Reverse grip (hands grab the bar from below). | Performing this exercise option allows you to engage the muscles of the inner back. The main load is shifted towards the trapezius and rhomboid muscles. These muscle groups are pastoral fibers and are responsible for maintaining correct posture. |
Technique for pulling the vertical block to the chest:
- It is necessary to sit on the bench of the simulator in such a way that the pelvis is firmly pressed against the seat. The knees are under a special roller. In this case, the feet should be pressed against the floor with their entire surface.A stable position on the bench prevents the occurrence of moments of inertial movement when the girl's body begins to move upward behind the rising bar. The athlete's body must be securely fixed to the seat.
- The choice of grip should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations described in the table.
- The pull of the bar to the chest is carried out on exhalation. Before starting the movement, you should slightly bend in the lower back and push the chest forward. This will create the most comfortable and safe conditions for stretching and contracting the target muscle fibers.
Pull of the lower block to the belt
The row of the lower block is one of the most common machines for training back muscles. This athletic movement is widely used by both men and women. The risk of injury while doing this exercise is minimal.
The pull of the block to the belt can be performed with three types of interchangeable handles:
- Wide with a parallel grip. When performing an exercise with such a crossbar, the outer parts of the middle and lower lats of the back are included in the work.
- Narrow grip with parallel wrist. It uses a curved V-shaped handle. When working with it, it is important to pay attention to the completeness of the range of motion. Girls involved in the gym should focus on stretching the muscles of the back in the negative phase and their complete reduction in the positive.
- Wide arms. For this, a long, even crossbar is used. In this case, the thrust of the block is carried out to the upper abdomen. Such a trajectory of movement allows you to shift the emphasis of the load on the upper part of the latissimus muscles and the large round muscle. Also, the biceps and the back delta of the shoulder are included in the work.
Technique for pulling the block to the belt:
- Having established the value of the load on the simulator in such a way that the weight of the weights allows you to perform 12-15 repetitions in the approach, you must take the starting position. To do this, grab the handle of the simulator with both hands, pull the cable and sit on the bench. In this case, the back should be straight, and the legs should rest against a special roller.
- The pull of the block is carried out on exhalation. It is important to focus on the tension and contraction of the target muscle fibers. The thrust of the block must be controlled. Jerks and swaying of the body are not allowed. The movement is carried out until the abdomen and the crossbar touch.
- The negative phase of the movement is carried out on inspiration. When using a narrow V-handle, tilt the body forward slightly to get the most out of your workout. This will stretch your back muscles further.
Hyperextension
The gym back machines discussed above are used to work out the upper back. With their help, it is rather difficult to strengthen the lumbar spine. Weak core muscles force novice athletes to resort to the help of simulators in their workouts, and do not allow using the barbell.
To strengthen the long extensors of the back, there is a hyperextension simulator. Extension of the body is performed on it. This exercise does not imply the use of additional weights, especially at the initial level of training.
Particular attention during its implementation should be paid to the lifting height. Hyperextension is body straightening. Do not pull the shoulder girdle back too far beyond the body line. This could result in injury.
When to expect the effect
Visible results for girls who have come to the gym will be noticeable for 2-3 months of training. In order to speed up the process by 1-3 weeks, you should responsibly warm up and cool down before and after training. For this, a set of stretching exercises and joint gymnastics are suitable.
Back trainers are an integral part of the training process not only among amateurs, but also professionals.Gyms offer a wide range of equipment to help girls strengthen and develop their back muscles while minimizing the risk of injury.
Back Trainer Videos
Back workout on simulators in the gym: