Muscle work on the horizontal bar. Pull-ups on the horizontal bar. Technique for performing pull-ups with different grips. Trained muscle groups

The barbell pull-up is considered the most versatile barbell strength exercise, as no other barbell strength exercise builds so much strength and fitness in the body.

Pulling up on the horizontal bar and performing combinations, you can perfectly pump your forearms, biceps, back and abs. During pull-ups, you work with your weight and, thus, a certain strength and grip strength is developed. Despite the fact that everyone knows how to pull up, those who work out on the horizontal bar for a long time know how to pull themselves up technically correctly, not to mention the fact that they have excellent physical shape and physique.

For those who want to properly exercise on the horizontal bar, it will be interesting to review the following information on the basics of the pull-up technique on the horizontal bar. Naturally, many people know how to pull themselves up, but not everyone can do it technically correctly. In order to properly pull up, you need to perform a certain technique of action. If your goal is specifically pumping muscles, then you should not chase a lot of pull-ups, performing them somehow, but on the contrary, it is better to do fewer, but technically correct pull-ups and not twitch up and down.

Before you start pulling up, you must take the correct position on the horizontal bar. Here, the grip is not important at all, since it must be developed by each individually. An important role here is played by the position of the legs, they should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees and crossed with each other. This position eliminates leg jerks, makes hanging more convenient for pulling up on higher horizontal bars.
It is important not to twitch on the horizontal bar, but to hang evenly, and also not to help the legs or pelvis lift the body up, that is, to pull yourself up solely with your own strength of the muscles of the back and arms.
Do not rush to do pull-ups quickly (with the exception of pull-ups "for strength" or "for mass"). Remember, the slower, the better, because you are tensing the right muscles, and not just twitching them.
If possible, it is better to keep the pumped muscle group constantly in tension, both during the pull-up itself and during the lowering of the body.
Try to use the correct breathing technique during your exercises: At the beginning of the pull-up, inhale, at the end of the pull-up, exhale.

When pulling up on the horizontal bar, use the “strength” pull-up technique or the “mass pull-up” technique.

Pull up in all possible ways, using a wide, medium and narrow grip. To evenly distribute the load of the necessary muscles, during pull-ups, it is necessary to use all of these types of grips.

So, the following types of hand positions are distinguished in width, on the crossbar:

Pull-ups with a wide grip;
Pull-ups with a medium grip;
Pull-ups with a narrow grip.

Pull-ups with a narrow grip. Close-grip pull-ups are those grips in which your hands are at a minimum distance from each other. In this case, the main load of the pull-up technique falls on the muscles of the forearm and biceps. Thus, with the help of your hands you lift your weight, and at this time, the back muscles practically do not work.

Pull-ups with a medium grip. Medium-grip pull-ups are grips in which your hands are on the bar about shoulder-width apart. In this case, the main load of the pull-up technique is evenly distributed on the muscles of the back and arms. Thus, the average grip is the so-called. The "golden mean" of the pull-up technique on the horizontal bar.

Pull-ups with a wide grip. Pull-ups with a wide grip are those grips during which your hands are at the maximum distance from each other. In this case, the main load of the pull-up technique falls on the back muscles. Thus, it is important to remember that your thumb should not wrap around the bar. Such an action will eliminate the load on the muscles of the forearm, but will allow you to fully work out your back.

Pull-ups on the horizontal bar "for strength" and "for mass". Pulling up on the horizontal bar, the main emphasis of the pull-up technique can be done on the development of muscle strength, as well as on increasing their mass.

Before starting to perform such exercises, it is important to familiarize yourself with the basic structure of the exercises on the horizontal bar.

During the pull-up, two consecutive phases are performed. The first is when you lift your own body, and the second is when you lower it. These two phases are called the Positive Exercise Phase and the Negative Exercise Phase.

The positive phase occurs when you lift your own body, another weight, a barbell or dumbbells.
The negative phase occurs when you lower your body accordingly during the exercise.

This is the main secret. But, if you prefer to focus on "strength" during pull-ups, in this case, You must:

Slowly raise your body, and then quickly lower it, timing this way: 3 seconds for the rise and 1 second for the descent.
Increase the number of repetitions and approaches during the exercise, since by increasing the number of pull-ups, your strength increases.
It is important to keep the muscles in constant tension while lifting. But, if you want to increase both strength and mass equally, then you should keep the muscles in constant tension even during the descent of the body.
Gradually reduce rest between sets to 2 minutes.
It is important to do the “ladder” at least once a week for the maximum possible number of times.

"Ladder" or, as it is also called - "Pyramid" is a kind of game. During the game, as a rule, use a horizontal bar or bars. There can be from 2 to 10 players at the same time. Participants need to pull themselves up from 1 to 10 times and back. First, the players pull up 1, then 2, then 3, and so on, up to 10, and then vice versa - first 10 times, then 9, and so on, up to 1. If someone cannot continue the exercise at a certain stage - He's out of the game. As a result, there should be one winner. The game "ladder" is designed to develop the spirit of competition, it perfectly develops strength. As well as relief during pull-ups on the horizontal bar.

In the event that you prefer to focus on the “mass”, then while pulling up on the horizontal bar, you must remember the following:

It is enough to quickly raise your body during the exercise, and then slowly lower it, timing this way: 1 second for the rise and 3 seconds for the descent.
It is important not to increase the number of repetitions and approaches during the exercise, for example, do only 4 sets of 10 times.
It is important to focus on the Negative phase of the exercise and constantly keep the muscles in maximum tension.
You can increase the rest time between sets up to 3 minutes.
Remember that after the exercises, you need to allow the muscles to rest and replenish the spent energy supply with good nutrition.

Pull-ups with weights. The question is often asked: “Is it necessary to pull up on the horizontal bar with weights? If so, from what period of time should this be done?

Today, thanks to the Global Internet, you can find a large number of articles that say that "beginners" need to literally immediately pull themselves up using additional weight. But such an opinion is erroneous. "Beginners" should in no case use weights during pull-ups immediately.

Agree that there are few beginners who are familiar with the correct pull-up technique on the horizontal bar, and they are immediately advised to pull themselves up with weights. It even sounds pretty stupid. It is important to remember only one simple rule for the correct practice of any sport - always start with the basics and with the simplest. So, beginners must first learn how to technically pull up on the horizontal bar itself, since their own weight is enough for them to develop well, and only then can weights be used during pull-ups.

For those who have been pulling up on the horizontal bar for a long time, and thus already have the necessary experience, knowledge and technique, pull-ups using weights are simply necessary. They pull up with extra weight mainly to prevent "stagnation" and an explosion of "power and mass". But even if you are no longer a beginner, you should not load everything that is at hand, but it is important to gradually add the desired weight.

In addition, it is important to note that ordinary backpacks with any load can serve as weighting agents during pull-ups on the horizontal bar. They are not only very comfortable to use, but also do not create discomfort like, for example, waist belts with weights. Also during training, you can use special weights on the legs, with "lead" bars inside.

When pulling up, it is important to remember the following:

If today you are in great shape, start with a feasible week for you, for example, from the 15th;
If you are physically very tired, then skip this day of training or train in a relaxed mode;
Use your favorite music that gives you strength;
Train 6 days a week, leaving 1 day for rest;
The rest time between sets is 2 minutes, although less can be;
Do not exercise during injury or illness;
Go through training programs regularly;
Don't use jerks;
Control the descent of the body and each pull-up;
Use a comfortable and secure grip;
Watch your breath.

Horizontal bar- This is a universal simulator that involves a large number of muscle groups. Depending on the method that you use when pulling up, you can adjust the load on a particular muscle, but all the same, all the main muscle groups will be involved, no matter what type of pull-up you choose.

Pull-ups on the horizontal bar are very useful for the body, they keep your muscles in good shape, and in combination with push-ups from the floor and on the uneven bars, your body will quickly acquire relief, and the muscles will become much easier to cope with hard work or other exercises.

To achieve the maximum effect from pull-ups on the horizontal bar, they must be performed efficiently and cleanly. With a normal pull-up, it should look like this: grab the horizontal bar shoulder-width apart, grab the bar from below with your thumb, keep your legs together, pull yourself up smoothly without jerking, touch the bar with your chest, lower yourself slowly, as if holding your body and struggling with the force of gravity. Lower yourself by fully extending your arms. Pull-ups without following these instructions will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

As mentioned above, with the help of the horizontal bar, several muscle groups swing at once. Depending on the pull-up method that you choose, you can adjust the load on a particular muscle. But first, let's still find out which muscles swing when pulling up on the horizontal bar.

When pulling up on the horizontal bar, the following are involved:

Trapeze;
The latissimus dorsi;
Triceps;
Biceps;
Delta;
Shoulders;
forearm;
Press, etc.

Types of pull-ups on the horizontal bar

Technique for performing different types of pull-ups.

Description
Video

There are many varieties of pull-ups with an emphasis on different groups of back muscles. It depends on the width of the arms, the grip option and the motion vector which muscles receive more load. The video details the nuances of performing each movement on different muscle groups.

Types of pull-ups on the horizontal bar can be divided according to three criteria:

Grip method (direct, reverse);
Grip width (narrow, medium, wide)
Upper position (pulling up to the chest, behind the head)

In fact, there are many more types of pull-ups - dead pull-ups, pull-ups with cotton, pull-ups with rolls and many more types. In order to list them all, and even more so to describe, it will take a very long time.

Let's take a look at the most basic ones.

Direct grip

Pull-ups on the horizontal bar with a regular straight grip are a classic. Depending on the width of the grip, we pump certain muscles more.

Pull-up with a narrow straight grip. With such a pull, it pumps well Brachialis(shoulder muscle located between the biceps and triceps), latissimus dorsi muscles(bottom) and serratus anterior muscles.

Narrow grip pull-ups

Execution technique. When doing pull-ups in this way, we grab the horizontal bar with a narrow grip so that the hands practically touch each other on the crossbar. Try to pull up as high as possible, this will enhance the effect of pulling up.

Pulling up with a regular straight grip. rocking forearms, shoulders, triceps, biceps, back muscles.

Pull-ups with a direct average (regular) grip

Execution technique standard, described above.

Pull-up with a wide straight grip. pumped trapezoid, upper part of the latissimus dorsi and round paired muscles of the back.

Straight wide grip pull-ups

Execution technique. We take the horizontal bar with a wide grip. So that the shoulders, when bending the arms at the elbows, are parallel to the crossbar, and the forearms are at an angle of 90 ° to it. When pulling up with a wide grip, the thumb no longer wraps around the horizontal bar from below, but lies down with the rest on top of the crossbar. We are trying to reach not with our hands up, but due to the reduction of the shoulder blades. We are trying to touch the crossbar with our chest.

Reverse grip

Reverse grip involves focusing on other muscle groups, such as the biceps.

Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip. With this grip, it pumps biceps and lower part of the latissimus dorsi.

Reverse narrow grip pull-ups

Execution technique. The task is to try to reach the crossbar with the lower part of the chest. The palms are turned in your direction, the thumb covers the horizontal bar from below. Pull-ups are performed as if with shoulder blades. We try to bring the shoulder blades together, feel them and reach for the crossbar with our chest.

Pull-ups with a regular reverse grip. pumped biceps and latissimus dorsi muscles.

Pull-ups with a reverse middle (normal) grip

Pull-up technique remains the same.

Wide grip pull-ups

When performing this type of pull-ups, it is pumped trapezoid, paired round dorsal muscles and the latissimus dorsi.

Other types of pull-ups on the horizontal bar

When your muscles are strong enough as a result of training on the horizontal bar, you will be able to perform various techniques on the horizontal bar, such as “lift-coup”, “exit to one”, “exit to two” and others. It is also possible that after hard training you will be able to perform pull-ups with cotton or other complex elements.

But first, learn how to pull up correctly and a lot with the types of pull-ups that we have analyzed today. Do not rush to invent something. All the same, muscle groups, with different methods of pulling up, are used all the same, and if you can perform pull-ups with standard types, you can easily perform any other type of pull-up.

Pull-ups to train the back muscles

If you have any questions leave them in the comments and I will answer you.

Consider the main types of pull-ups on the horizontal bar. When performing pull-ups on the horizontal bar, many muscles of the arms, shoulder girdle and back work. The rule here is: the wider the grip, the more the back works. And, accordingly, the narrower the grip, the more the arms and muscles of the shoulder girdle work.

The use of different types of pull-ups in one workout allows you to achieve a harmonious study of all the muscles involved in pull-ups and better feel their work in conditions of different trajectories of movement and a shift in the emphasis of the load on them, as well as prevent overstrain and unnecessary overload of the joints.

Pull-ups with the usual average grip on the horizontal bar. Technique and muscles

This grip can be called classic, because. it is the most simple and understandable and is possible on any horizontal bar. The average grip, in turn, is divided into direct, reverse and parallel.

a) straight middle grip

The most classic grip ever. The technique for performing pull-ups with this grip describes actions that are also relevant when performing pull-ups with other grips.

We put our hands with our palms away from us on the crossbar at shoulder width. The thumb from below closes the grip in the "lock". When pulling up, legs are straight, keep them together. You should pull yourself up with muscle strength, without jerking and twitching (valid for all grips). This is when moving up (positive phase). When moving down (negative phase), you should not, in order to avoid injury, completely relax your arms. The descent must be controlled. It is believed that the biceps work better in the negative phase than in the positive, which is why many trainers recommend going up 2 times faster than going down. The correct execution is considered to be a repetition that ended at the top with a touch of the crossbar with the chest, and at the bottom with fully extended arms.

Muscle groups trained: trapezium and latissimus dorsi, biceps, triceps, muscles of the shoulder girdle and forearm.

b) reverse middle grip

Classic #2. It's easier to do than straight. Great grip for pumping the biceps.

Pull-up technique: the reverse middle grip is performed in exactly the same way as the direct one. The only difference is that this time we put our hands on the crossbar with our palms on ourselves. The thumb also closes the "lock". Pull-ups are performed according to the same rules and techniques that are described for a direct grip. In the positive phase, you need to reduce the shoulder blades. At the beginning of the movement, it is necessary to ensure that the shoulders do not rise and are laid back and down.

Muscle groups trained: biceps, latissimus dorsi.

c) parallel middle grip

Also, like the reverse medium grip, pull-ups with a parallel medium grip are easier for a beginner to perform than straight ones. Also, the use of both reverse and parallel grip helps to ensure the most optimal range of motion in the elbow joints, while minimally loading the wrist joints.

Pull-up technique: with such a grip, you can perform pull-ups on almost any home, simply by holding the pipes to which the crossbar itself is attached. The direct grip technique is also appropriate here. When pulling up, the elbows naturally pass close to the torso.

Muscle groups trained: latissimus dorsi, biceps.

Pull-ups with a narrow grip on the horizontal bar. Technique and muscles

A variant of pull-ups, in which the biceps, muscles that lower the shoulder girdle and the lower bundles of the latissimus dorsi muscle are included in the work as much as possible.

a) straight narrow grip

Pull-up technique: hands (palms away from you) grab the crossbar at a minimum distance of hands from each other. The thumb closes the "lock" from below. When pulling up - the look is directed to the hands, the back is bent. We strive to touch the crossbar with the lower part of the chest.

Muscle groups trained: lower part of the latissimus dorsi, brachialis (shoulder muscle), anterior serratus muscles.

b) reverse narrow grip

Pull-up technique: the grip is performed similarly to the straight one, but here the hands already grab the crossbar with their palms facing themselves. Also, when pulling up, we try to touch the projectile with the lower part of the chest, but at the same time it is necessary to reduce the shoulder blades and take the shoulders back.

Muscle groups trained:

c) parallel narrow grip

Pull-up technique: performing pull-ups with this grip is akin to pull-ups with a reverse narrow grip. Unless the palms are now parallel and look at each other.

Muscle groups trained: bottom of the latissimus dorsi, biceps.

Pull-ups with a wide grip on the horizontal bar. Technique and muscles

This is the most difficult version of the pull-up, not only because there is the maximum amplitude of shoulder adduction, but also because this version places the highest demands on the strength and combined work of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

a) pull-ups with a straight wide grip to the chest

Pull-up technique: grab the bar with a grip wider than the usual average, something like when doing a bench press with a barbell. Here, for the best work of the lats, the thumbs should be located on top of the crossbar, and from below, close the grip in the "lock", as on other grips. When pulling up, try not to strain your biceps. Pay attention to the position of the body - the elbows look down, the gaze looks up, the back is bent, the shoulder blades are brought together, the chest reaches for the crossbar. Only in this way you will include the back muscles in the work as much as possible.

Muscle groups trained: paired round muscles, the upper part of the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles of the back, biceps.

b) wide grip with pull-ups behind the head

Pull-up technique: the technique is similar to pull-ups with a straight wide grip to the chest, we also grab the crossbar, but there are some nuances here. No need to arch your back when pulling up. Legs cannot be crossed, line them up with the body. At the top, the bar should be behind your head. Be sure to follow the elbows - they should always look clearly at the floor.

Muscle groups trained: paired round muscles, top and middle of the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles of the back, biceps.

Pull-ups with a grip along the horizontal bar. Technique and muscles

Pull-up technique: grab the bar fist to fist. Fists in the "lock" are closed with the thumb. When pulling up, we alternately remove our head to the left, then to the right of the crossbar. At the top, touch the crossbar with your shoulder. With each new approach, we change the location of the hands relative to each other.

Muscle groups trained: the bottom of the latissimus dorsi, brachialis (shoulder muscle), dentate muscles.

Pull-ups on the bar are one of the oldest ways to strengthen the muscles of the back, arms, and abs. Various variations of this exercise will help you pump your back, biceps, shoulders, strengthen your forearms and wrists.

How pull-ups can save lives

Numerous stories prove how important it is to be able to pull yourself up, and indeed, to be in good physical shape. Various emergency situations happen to every fifth person in the world. And the circumstances when you just need to pull yourself up are for every man and more than once in his life.

Here is a simple example from the life of an ordinary person who was not shown in the news, who was not written about in blogs.

This is a man, now he is about 40 years old. Once he was locked in a burning basement, where there were no chairs or furniture. There were old mattresses on the floor. The fire started from inside the building, and the man could not get out through the door. The only way to escape lay through the window, which was under the ceiling. To cling to the window sill, it was necessary to jump a little - he was able to do it. But then it was necessary to pull up and just catch on to the open bars outside the window. He was able to knock out the glass, but he couldn't get in. He couldn't pull up. The man was rescued by firefighters when he was already unconscious.

This life story clearly shows how important it is to be able to pull up at least a few times for both men and women. It is especially important for men to be able to pull themselves up a couple of times with an average grip.

There is also such a type of exercise as negative pull-ups. With this performance, you rise to the top point by climbing onto a bench or step, but you go down already due to the strength of your own arms and back. This option is recommended for beginners for whom it is still too difficult to fully pull up.

CrossFit often uses the kipping pull-up and its faster variation, the butterfly. The athlete swings the body, throwing himself up due to inertia. This approach allows you to perform more repetitions in the allotted time. However, if you are not a competitor, this method does not make sense to practice, as it creates a dangerous load on the joints.

How to pull up, depending on your goals

Depending on what you want to achieve with pull-ups, the training strategy will be different.

We pull ourselves up for general physical development

Pulling up is one of the elements of a complex of exercises on sports grounds. This is part of the classic deuce - "horizontal bar and bars." With the help of these two sports equipment, you can well strengthen the upper body.

If you want to do this for general physical development, it is enough to perform 2-3 sets of 10-15 times. It's okay if you can only pull up 3-5 times - progress comes gradually.

Pull up for muscle growth

Athletes rarely use pull-ups on the horizontal bar as an independent mass exercise. Usually this is one of the exercises in the complex for biceps and back.

With a beginner to intermediate level of training, and if your own weight is large enough, ordinary pull-ups with different grips will be enough for you without additional complications. They are performed 8-12 times in the approach.

For maximum effect professional bodybuilders. That is, they hang additional pancakes on their belts or, which is safer for the spine, put on special weight vests. The number of repetitions also remains 8–12. Muscle failure should occur within this interval.

Pull-up technique

Let's look at the most popular variations of this exercise.

Classic pull-ups

What is a direct grip? This is the position of the hands when the fists are turned towards us, and the palms are away from us. They will have such a position on the horizontal bar. If we give up, everything will be the other way around.

Thus, we take the bar during the classic pull-ups. Pulling up on the horizontal bar with straight lines with an average grip is the most common version of the exercise. It is in this version that it is handed over in various educational institutions in a physical education lesson.

The rules for performing pull-ups with a direct grip are simple:

Grab the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart with a straight grip. A shoulder-width grip is called medium.
If the horizontal bar is low, bend your legs so that the body hangs in the air. The best option is pulling up from the hang on the high bar. So your legs won't get in your way.
Hang, feel the weight of your body. Try to pull yourself up so that your chin is above the bar. To do this, with a powerful contraction of the muscles of the arms and back, lift yourself up. At the same time, do not jerk or swing.
Hanging over the bar is not necessary, as soon as you have reached this position - go down.
Control all movements: both up and down. If you start to sway (this happens when you pull yourself up several times in a row), try to stabilize the position of the body.

How many reps to do depends on your training goals. Work to failure - to the maximum. It's great if you divide the whole process into approaches. For example, 3 sets of 5 times, if for you 5 repetitions is a one-time maximum pull-ups on the horizontal bar. In general, make pull-ups and horizontal bars your friends!

Wide grip

The pull-up technique here is the same as in the previous case. You just need to take the crossbar not with an average grip, but a little wider than your shoulders. For everyone, this distance is individual. Make sure that the movement is comfortable and anatomical - no need to try to stretch as much as possible to the sides. The wider the brushes are, the more load will go to the latissimus dorsi. If they are poorly developed, you will never pull yourself up with a wide grip. This is normal, there is something to strive for.

Pull-up technique:

Hang from the horizontal bar by grasping the bar with a wide grip.
Great, now take your elbows to the sides and fix. If you put them forward, the load will go to the biceps, and the back will not be able to develop the necessary effort.
Breathe in. As you exhale with the mice of the back, try to bring your elbows closer to the body. At the moment, the latissimus dorsi are working, and they carry out this adductor movement. Help with your hands, but do not shift the entire load on them.
The back muscles are usually weak, so the biceps often work more than they should. Try to transfer the load to the back. At the top point, try to pull yourself up as high as possible so that the crossbar is at the top of the chest.

By the way, so that you don’t get confused, a straight and pronated grip are one and the same.

And there is also a reverse grip, when the palms are turned to the face of the pull-up. A narrow grip allows you to move the load on the biceps and lower part of the latissimus dorsi.

Grasp the bar with a reverse grip, hands apart at a distance of about 20 cm. In this exercise, the elbows should be brought forward.
On the exhale, rise as high as possible, on the inhale, go down.

Perform the desired number of repetitions, rest and proceed to the next approach. Take your time, do everything smoothly.

Pull-ups on a horizontal ladder

An interesting technique for strengthening the muscles of the back is work on horizontal stairs. It is convenient to train the grip on them, if you walk along all the crossbars on your hands. Pulling up on the horizontal bar in this way is very useful. You yourself will feel how previously unused areas of the back muscles begin to work.

In this version, there is a feature - due to the muscles of the back, you change the angle of inclination of your body in the hang. That is, the legs go a little forward, and the position of the body becomes more horizontal. From this position, you should pull yourself up. It is usually impossible to stick your head between the bars to pull yourself up vertically, so this specific deviation of the body will be very useful. You take your head back and stretch your chest to the crossbars. This exercise is similar to the pull of the lower block.

Especially good for the back is that the hands hold on to the crossbars with a parallel grip. From this position, the latissimus dorsi is much more accustomed to work, they are better pumped.

Do as many times as you can.

If you go to the gym, include pull-ups in your program at least once a week.

Pull up problems

Anything can happen during pull-ups, and the most common are injuries, blisters, and joint pain. A problem is also a weak grip, due to which falls sometimes occur. This is especially familiar to those for whom pull-ups and horizontal bars are the norm.

Injuries

It's not that hard to get hurt. It is enough not to warm up before pull-ups or jerk sharply during the exercise. The most vulnerable muscles are the shoulder and biceps. Take care of them.

Your shoulders can get hurt during a power out when you're trying to get over the bar. The injury is very unpleasant and long-term. If you plan to do some elements on the horizontal bar, warm up the necessary muscles very well.

calluses

Every person has a different skin condition. In girls, for example, a callus can form from an ordinary neck of 20 kg. What about pull-ups?

In men, depending on their weight, corns can form already on the first workout. This is because during the exercise, the skin on the palm of your hand is pinched. In such cases, sports gloves come to the rescue. They will significantly reduce the chances of calluses, and also help you stay on the bar better.

pain

Most often, elbows and shoulders hurt during pull-ups. And it's not just muscles or tendons that cause pain. But also ligaments, and the joints themselves. If you are concerned about pain, consult your doctor, get an MRI or other prescribed examination. An accurate diagnosis will help preserve health and minimize the loss of fitness.

Falls from the horizontal bar

People fall off the horizontal bar for two reasons: a weak grip and wet hands.

The first problem is solved by high-quality training of the wrist muscles. And the second - with gloves or powdered magnesia. Gloves will make pull-ups on the bar much more comfortable.

The grip can be strengthened by a long hang on the horizontal bar. This will prepare your body for pull-ups.

These are the main rules of pull-ups that should be followed in order for your exercises to be as effective and safe as possible.

Do the exercise without jerking, smoothly and under control. This tactic will help you work out your muscles properly and avoid injury.
If you are pulling up on the crossbar with weights, clamp the pancakes suspended from the belt between your legs. Otherwise, they will swing.
Move on to weights only when the number of repetitions without weight has become more than 10.
Do not hang over the bar for a long time - a short hold is enough.
In winter, be sure to wear non-slip gloves to make pulling up comfortable. The best material is leather (not necessarily natural).
Do not sway while pulling up on the bar.
You can do pull-ups on the bar and train the press at the same time - to do this, raise your legs with a corner and pull yourself up in this position. It will be much more interesting. Thus, you can use pull-ups on the horizontal bar for complex training.

Pull-ups have always been considered a difficult strength exercise. The ability to pull up 8-10 times is necessary when entering the armed forces of various countries, including the United States. Fitness tests always include pull-ups. This is the standard for all power. Therefore, many want to know: ?

How to pull up correctly - basic theory

The inability to pull up is connected with the dispersion of one's attention and the lack of a clear vision of the physiological and anatomical picture of this movement. The exercise is multi-joint and basic, and it is impossible to learn it in a barbaric way. This requires an understanding of the underlying theory.

There are only two effective options for pull-ups: for fitness and for quantity (military). The execution technique is different, as are the goals pursued by these variations of pull-ups. As part of today's topic, we note only the main differences:

Pull-ups for fitness target the muscles of the back and arms. The emphasis is on the stimulation of muscle fibers and the development of strength indicators. The movement is performed purely in full amplitude.

Army pull-ups are used for a different task - the development of speed-strength characteristics of muscles due to a large number of repetitions and the appropriate execution technique. Such pull-ups are usually called “by quantity”, since here the final number of repetitions will be more than in the fitness version.

Now, knowing the classification of pull-ups, you need to determine which option is right for you. We note right away that you cannot chase two birds with one stone. Either you work the muscle segments of the back in perfect technique, or you apply tricks and nuances to increase the number of repetitions. By combining two goals into one, you run the risk of achieving zero productivity, which is what we see in most fitness centers, where beginners can't learn to pull up for years.

What you need to know about pull-ups

The stereotype that bodyweight exercises are not purely strength training breaks down under the pressure of your own body weight in pull-ups. Weight is your weight, and often its coefficient is excessively large.

The heavier the person, the more difficult it is to perform pull-ups. The percentage of fat and muscle mass does not play a significant role. Up to 75-80 kg, pulling up a couple of dozen times is quite realistic, especially with regular training. More body weight leads to a decrease in the total number of repetitions in this exercise.

If you do not know how to pull up, the reason is most likely due to being overweight. The presence of body fat is a significant barrier to learning proper pull-ups. To begin with, you will have to lose weight by replacing the exercise with analogues, for example, pulling a vertical cable block to the chest.

Pull-ups on the horizontal bar: the correct execution technique

Due to the presence of two types of pull-ups, there is no single correct technique. Check out the individual articles that cover this process in detail. Within the framework of this topic, we will list the mistakes inherent in any pull-ups. Avoiding them will teach you how to pull up safely and productively.

Muscle relaxation at the bottom

The starting position in the hanging on the crossbar for the vast majority of beginners is associated with a serious biomechanical error - complete relaxation of the shoulder girdle. Without special controlled tension, the shoulder bag stretches beyond normal. The humerus goes up, and this injures the ligaments and joints.

Regular repetition of such a mistake will lead to atrophy of the rotator cuffs of the shoulders, and under negative conditions - to the habitual dislocation of the shoulder. Readers may object, because an effective exercise for the back muscles involves a full stretch. That's right, however, to stretch the muscles of the back, it is not necessary to bring the shoulder up due to relaxation. This is easy to do and with a tense shoulder girdle. Mentally focus your attention on the removal of the shoulder blades from each other.

The risk of injury to the deltoid muscles and related joints is not the only drawback of this technical error. The biomechanics of the exercise change markedly. A completely relaxed shoulder girdle creates an uncomfortable position for the back muscles.

In this case, it is impossible to 100% innervate the posterior delta, the teres major and minor muscles, since the position is anatomically uncomfortable for the muscular system, even taking into account the naturalness of pull-ups for the body. In ancient times, when our ancestors climbed onto ledges or tree branches, the starting position involved slightly bent arms and shoulder activation. Either with the help of a jump, or due to the small height of the obstacle.

Therefore, in pull-ups, in no case should you relax at the bottom. Stretch your back, but don't overdo it.

Psychological nuances

The central nervous system of a person affects the possible power potential. Muscles and joints do not determine strength in the same way that the central nervous system does. Beginners focus in pull-ups on bending the arms in the elbow joints. Mental concentration on this element of technique contributes to the redirection of neuromuscular signals mainly to the muscles of the arms and forearms.

The problem is that no power and energy resources of the hands are enough to lift weights like you do. The pull up is an exercise for the back. and needs to be emphasized. But how?

Standard recommendations - bring the shoulder blades together and do not think about the hands. They help few people, since they do not significantly affect the work of the central nervous system. There is a more efficient and simpler technique. Think for a second, what do you think about while doing them?

Most people think of the torso reaching for the bar. Try reverse thinking. Imagine pulling the horizontal bar towards your chest., as if you are performing a barbell row to the belt or a pull of the upper block simulator.

Such a small psychological trick redirects neuromuscular signals to the desired target muscle groups, in particular to.

Abs and leg muscles

The muscles of the legs are the main burden. More than half of the body weight is in the legs, which are not involved in pull-ups. Beginners relax them, which automatically leads to a loss of innervation of the abdominal muscles. This negatively affects the overall productivity of the exercise. The domino principle applies here as well. Following the press, the back and front serratus muscles are turned off, and they entail a weakening of the back delta and even biceps.

During pull-ups, strain your abdominal muscles statically. It is desirable to bend the legs at the knees or at least “squeeze” the gluteal muscles to give innervation.

Style Outcome

Pull-ups are the best exercise for the back, this is an indisputable fact, but there is also a downside to the “medal”. They are difficult to perform for most people due to excess weight. Wrong pull-ups lead to injuries, and persistent fanatical training takes away all the recovery resources and strength from the central nervous system.

The emphasis on training in pull-ups will interfere with the harmonious development of the back, because the load will have to be reduced and attention should be paid only to this process.

Therefore, pull-ups should not be put on a pedestal. Yes, this is the leader, but there are a number of other strength exercises that are only slightly inferior to the productivity of pull-ups. To sum it up, pull-ups are not for everyone and should not be overdone, especially in the context of fitness goals and improving GPP.