A strong back is not only a guarantee of a beautiful posture, but also health. The developed musculature of the back of the body keeps the spine in the anatomically correct position and protects it from domestic and sports injuries. Therefore, performing exercises aimed at strengthening and training back muscles, a must for girls and women.
One of the most effective sports movements for this muscle group is the barbell pull in an incline to the waist.
Essence and basic principles
The barbell row is a basic multi-joint exercise. In the process of its implementation, all large muscles of the back, deltoid and shoulder muscles are involved in the work.
The main working muscles:
| Latissimus dorsi | A large muscle group that shapes the strength and appearance of the back. The main function of this muscle group is to abduct the arm beyond the body line. The lats are included in the work at the lowest point of the trajectory and perform their functions throughout the entire range of motion. |
| Diamond-shaped | Small, symmetrical muscular in the upper back. Located under the trapezius muscles. The main function of the rhomboid is to bring the blades together. This muscle group is included in the work at the top of the trajectory and helps to pull the bar until it touches the body. |
| Trapezoidal | A paired muscle that runs along the spine in the upper third of the back. When performing a barbell row at an angle to the waist, the rhomboid muscles act as stabilizers. They keep the shoulder joint in the correct position and prevent it from rounding in straight rotation under the weight of the barbell. |
| Posterior deltoid muscles | Participate in abduction of the shoulder back. They experience a significant load regardless of the grip width. |
| Long back extensors | A paired muscle group located along the spine in the lower back. Refers to the core muscle group. It has an elongated shape. Vertically oriented. The main function of the “posts” is to keep the body upright. When performing a barbell row in an inclination, the main load is placed on the long extensors to keep the lumbar spine in a safe position. Before starting the traction exercises on the back, it is important to carry out an intensive and high-quality warm-up of this muscle group. |
Execution technique
The mechanics of the bent-over barbell row are straightforward and straightforward. However, the technique of performing the exercise requires thorough adherence. In the process of movement, a girl or woman needs to control many parameters associated with the correct position of the spine and shoulder girdle. It is also difficult for beginners to maintain balance in the process of lowering and raising the barbell.
To safely perform the barbell row at an angle to the belt, the following recommendations must be observed:
1. Breakdown or lifting of the barbell. When performing the exercises, girls involved in the gym can use one of 2 ways to break the barbell: from the floor or from the racks. The second option is more convenient.
The racks can be set to a suitable height, take the correct starting position, rip off the barbell and start immediately. Then, at the moment of the breakdown of the barbell, all systems of the body will experience an overload. For beginners, this is fraught with injury.
Lifting the bar from the floor complicates the exercise by including the leg muscles. However, with this method, there are no peak overloads and muscles are less prone to injury.
2. Starting position
Before starting the exercise, it is necessary to take the correct starting position and maintain it throughout the entire approach:
- It is necessary to stand up straight, the back is straight, the shoulders are deployed, the shoulder blades are brought together.
- The pelvis is retracted, the body tilts forward to an angle of 10-45 degrees. to parallel. A slight bend in the knee joint is allowed.
- The rod is pulled off the racks. In this case, the shoulder blades should still be brought together, and the lumbar spine should be straight. When lifting the barbell from the floor, you must sit down and, without changing the position of your back, raise the barbell.
- At the bottom of the trajectory, the bar should be under the chest with arms extended and relaxed. The shoulder blades are brought together. The loin is straight. The shoulders tilt forward slightly, creating maximum stretch in the latissimus dorsi. The thrust of the sports equipment is carried out to the lower abdomen. During lifting, it is necessary to monitor the tension in the biceps of the shoulder. They should be relaxed. Elbows slide along the body. Not allowed: body jerking, elbow abduction.
3. Control of the center of gravity. For girls and women who perform the barbell row for the first time, there is often a problem associated with loss of balance. The error is related to the transfer of the center of gravity to the forefoot. This can lead to excessive stress in the lumbar spine and injury. In addition, it becomes uncomfortable to perform the exercise in this situation.
The concentration from the back muscles is shifted to the legs, and the back workout turns into acrobatic workout. In order for the loss of balance not to interfere with the exercise, it is precisely necessary to tilt the body by pulling the pelvis back, and not bending the legs at the knee joint.
How to replace the bent-over barbell
The barbell row is a technically difficult exercise. It is demanding on the level of physical fitness of the practitioner, as well as flexibility in the hip and ankle joints.
In the absence of the proper level of training, the implementation of this sports movement may be impossible. However, this exercise is one of the main ones for strengthening the back in girls. Therefore, it is completely inappropriate to abandon it.
You can replace the barbell tilt to the belt:
- Dumbbell traction in an incline to the belt;
- Workout with a "T-bar";
- Reverse grip barbell row;
- Bent over thrust of the lower block.
Row of dumbbells in an incline to the belt.
The starting position in this exercise is completely similar to the position when performing a deadlift with a barbell. The use of dumbbells as a weight can reduce the load on the lumbar spine and increase the range of motion.
The exercise can be performed with 2 options for placing the dumbbells:
- One line... Then the exercise, according to the effect exerted on the muscles of the female body, becomes identical to the deadlift with a barbell. During the execution of this option, the latissimus dorsi muscles (their outer part) take the main load.
- Parallel to each other. With this embodiment of this athletic movement, it is possible to include the internal muscles of the back (they traditionally lag behind in development in girls).Due to the more natural position of the hands and the shift of the center of gravity of the load towards the body, it becomes easier for the person engaged to maintain balance during the working approach.
The rest of the safety requirements when performing this traction option for the development of back muscles remain unchanged.
Training with a "T-bar".
The "T-bar" simulator is a platform with a hinged bar or an axis on it. From the free end, a handle is attached to the moving part of the simulator, and a weight is installed.
This equipment has advantages:
- The rigidly fixed end of the shaft or bar allows you to concentrate on stretching and contracting your back muscles. The hands of the practitioner, rigidly fixed on the handle, allow to form a single stable system. It is easier to maintain balance in this case.
- The platform is equipped with inclined footrests. They make it possible to perform the exercise at an optimal angle.
Sports activities with a "T-bar" must be carried out in strict accordance with the requirements of the rules of the technique of performing deadlift with a barbell. The back should be straight. The foot rests on the heel, and the shoulder blades are brought together.
Reverse Grip Barbell Row
The pull of the bar in an incline to the belt can be performed both with a direct (classic) and reverse grip. The technique for performing both variations differs only in the placement of hands on the bar.
With a reverse grip, the hands are turned towards the athlete and bend around the sports equipment from the back. In this case, during the exercise, the emphasis of the load is shifted to the inner part of the back. The rhomboid and trapezius muscles are actively involved in the work.
Due to the external rotation of the forearms and the narrow position of the arms, the reverse grip traction provides a large range of motion and muscle stretching back than the classic version of the exercise. However, an increase in the trajectory of movement entails an increase in the load on the pastoral muscles of the lower back (long extensors).
Bent over row of lower block
You will need a bottom block or crossover to do the bent-over row of the back muscles. The starting position for this version of the basic exercise is completely identical to the starting position with the classic barbell pull in the slope.
Before starting the movement, you must make sure that the lumbar spine is not rounded, the pelvis is laid back, and the body weight is transferred from the front of the foot to the heel.
The main advantage of the simulator over free weights when performing this exercise is the trajectory of the handle with the cable. Due to the position of the practitioner facing the simulator, it is possible to achieve the correct position of the hands at the lowest point of the trajectory.
Due to the tension forces in the cable, the handle moves slightly forward towards the equipment frame. Due to this, maximum stretching is achieved in the broadest muscles of the back.
Indications for the beginning of use
The barbell pull in an inclination to the belt is included in the training plan of a fitness girl with an imbalance in her body constitution. This exercise allows you to develop strength, build volume and shape your back muscles.
It is recommended to perform bent-over rows from the first days of resistance sports. Girls should not be afraid of an excessive increase in muscle mass in the target group due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background of the female body.
Contraindications for use
The bent-over barbell, dumbbell, or T-bar pull has no particular contraindications. If, according to the results of the examination, the attending physician admits a girl or woman to sports training in an athletic hall without any special restrictions, then this is enough to perform this movement.
but exercises from a standing position in a forward bend are traumatic. Therefore, girls need to proceed with their implementation with extreme caution.In the presence of sprains or pain in the lumbar spine, the barbell should be abandoned.
Helpful hints
Before starting the bent-over row, you should pay attention to the warm-up. In order to reduce the risk of injury and damage, you should strictly follow the requirements of the rules of the exercise technique, as well as know and exclude common mistakes.
Recommendations:
- Biceps work. When using excessive weights, the muscles of the back cannot withstand and the muscles of the arms are involved in the work. The biceps turn on at the moments of peak tension when the barbell breaks from the bottom point. This can stretch the elbows.
- Flexion at the wrists. Occurs due to insufficient grip strength of the girl. In this case, it is worth using the wrist straps. Keep your wrists straight.
- Holding your breath. Occurs due to excessive bar weight. When lifting, it is necessary to exhale, and when lowering, inhale.
- Using the Smith machine... Barbell exercises are not always comfortable. Free weights require a developed vestibular apparatus and high endurance. However, replacing the barbell or dumbbells with a Smith machine is not recommended. When performing bent over rows using this equipment, the shoulder joint becomes enslaved. The deltoid muscles are unable to perform their functions correctly. As a result, they can get damaged.
Main complex
The back is a large muscle group. At the initial level of training, girls and women should be given no more than 1 day a week for its development. During the 1st workout, it is recommended to perform 3-4 exercises on the muscles of the back of the body.
For optimal results, alternate athletic movements so that all back muscles are used equally.
When building a training split, keep in mind the postural nature of muscles such as:
- Diamond-shaped... They keep the spine upright and help bring the shoulder blades together.
- Trapezoidal... They are responsible for correct posture and spine health.
- Long back extensors... Protects the lumbar spine from damage. They work in conjunction with the abdominal muscles.
These muscles are tense even when the rest of the muscles in the female body are relaxed. Their training requires static-dynamic exercises.
Complex number 1
You should start your workout with a warm-up. It should take at least 3-5 minutes. The best option for warm-up is articular gymnastics. Rotating movements in all joints will help warm up the muscles and prepare the body for hard work.
Complex exercises:
- Straight grip barbell row - 3-4 * 12-15 repetitions. Girls and women should use a barbell weight that allows for at least 12 clean reps. Swaying of the body and tension in the hands should be avoided. The movement should be carried out by contraction of the back muscles.
- Pull-ups or pull of the upper block to the chest - 3 * 10-12 repetitions. Pulling exercise for the development of the broadest muscles of the back. By changing the angle between the arm and the body, an intense stretching of the upper part of the lats is carried out. When pulling the block, you should slightly bend in the lower back and feed the chest forward. This will allow you to engage the large round muscles of the back.
- Bent over row in a block machine 3 * 12-15 times. When performing this exercise, you should change the angle of the body. If, when performing the 1st athletic movement, the girl kept her back parallel to the floor, then the pull in the block is carried out with an inclination of the body of 45 degrees. You should concentrate on the position of the shoulder blades. They should be minimized as much as possible. This will allow you to isometrically tense your inner back muscles.
- Hyperextension. The exercise is performed on a special simulator of the same name.The movement is aimed at developing the extensor muscles, gluteus and other postural muscles of the back.
Complex number 2
The barbell row in an inclination to the belt can be used both as a main and as an auxiliary exercise.
An example of such training is the following set of exercises:
- Deadlift on straight legs - 3-4 * 10-12 reps. The technique for performing the exercise is similar to the technique for performing the classic deadlift. However, when performing the exercise on straight legs, the trajectory of movement is reduced, and the muscles of the legs are turned off from work. The bar drops slightly below knee level, the pelvis is pulled back, the back is straight. This type of deadlift has a number of benefits for girls. First, when the pelvis is pulled back, the gluteal muscles are involved. Secondly, it is possible to turn off the muscles of the front of the thigh from the work.
- T-Bar Row - 3 * 12-15 repetitions. The exercise should be done with a narrow grip. Pay particular attention to the position of the shoulder blades. They should be blended.
- Row of the lower block in the simulator - 3 * 12-15 repetitions. In this complex, a wide crossbar with parallel handles is used to perform the exercise. This makes it possible to shift the load on the lower latissimus dorsi.
- Hyperextension - 3 * max.
Fixing the result
After finishing the workout, the back muscles must be stretched. This will relax the muscles in the back of the body and prepare them for recovery.
To stretch your back muscles, follow these steps:
- Stand in front of the support and place your hands on it. The hands should be at shoulder level, the limbs should be extended in front of you and straightened.
- Tilt the body forward. The back is straight. The natural deflection should be maintained in the lower back.
- Rotate the body clockwise relative to the axis of the arms. The turn should be done before the back muscles stretch. Fix the body in this position for 5-7 seconds. Then repeat the turn to the other side.
Stretching after exercise can be combined with a warm bath or shower. This will help remove lactic acid from the muscles and speed up the recovery process.
When to expect the effect
The effect of performing a deadlift in an incline to the belt is manifested within 2-3 sessions. A girl or woman who has included this exercise in her training split will make it easier to endure walking, posture will be straightened, and it will be easier to keep her back in the correct position.
The barbell row in an incline to the waist is an integral part of the training process for girls who aim to develop a beautiful figure and maintain health.
This basic athletic movement promotes harmonious muscle development throughout the body and strengthens virtually the entire postural muscle chain. Their functional readiness is the key to good posture and athletic longevity.
Video on the topic: barbell pull to the belt in the slope: execution technique
Technique for performing the exercise "barbell pull to the belt in the slope":