< strong>Build a strongback: Wide-grip pull-up
During the deadlift, the back muscles are heavily involved (they do With strong isometric contraction to maintain the stability of our trunk)! This is why many people regard the deadlift as the go-to exercise for building a strong back!
Today I’m going to introduce you to a great deadlift variation to help us build strong back muscles!
Wide Grip Rack Pull Up!
The rack pull-up is a variation of the deadlift, which raises the barbell , which is equivalent to the second phase of the deadlift.
Generally speaking: If we break down the deadlift, we divide it into two stages
The first stage: pull from the ground to the knees, starting with the ankles and knees , hips are all curved. The hips and shoulders move up at roughly the same speed, with the barbell aligned with the center of the soles of the feet, vertically upward and in line with the shoulder blades. This stage mainly involves extending the knees to exert force, and the quadriceps muscles are more involved!
Second phase: The second phase of the deadlift begins when the bar reaches about knee height. This phase begins when the tibia is perpendicular to the ground and the hip moves forward more than it moves upward. At this stage, the quadriceps are rarely involved, the center of gravity shifts back to the heels, and the main forces are the hamstrings, gluteal muscles, erector spinae, mid-back, and upper back.
The advantage or key point of the rack pull-up is to reduce the part involving the quadriceps in the first stage and save energy. It can fully stimulate the back
Therefore, many bodybuilders use it as a specialized back training exercise and to develop overall girth. At the same time, it can also strongly develop your hip extension strength and help you build your buttocks and hamstring muscles
Rack pull-ups can also help increase deadlift and squat weights. The back is an important stabilizing muscle that is often overlooked in heavy squats, but they can all be exercised in this movement.
How?
First we need to place the barbell in the squat rack at a height of about close to the knees!
The basic requirements for the preparation position are similar to those of a standard deadlift. The barbell is close to the legs, the center is in the foot, the hips are flexed, and the spine is kept neutral!
Grasp the barbell with your arms straight and slightly externally rotate your shoulders, as if you are bending the barbell! Let your whole body be filled with tension!
Tighten the back of your legs and hips, extend your hips and use force to pull up the barbell, push your hips forward to lock the barbell, keep your upper back tight, tighten your abdomen, and keep your spine neutral! Then bend your hips (hips backward) and the barbell will naturally drop to the rack!
Tip: Although our goal is the back, the middle back muscles of the deadlift are not the agonist muscles. Powerful isometric contractions will also give our back muscles enough stimulation!