Vertical pull-down to the chest: a basic exercise for the back muscles

The lat pulldown is a basic movement that develops the muscles of the back and shoulders well. It makes it possible to create an excellent figure, helps eliminate postural disorders and is a good prevention of scoliosis. This movement can be performed by athletes of any gender; it can be used when building a program for teenagers. But in order for this type of deadlift to help build muscle mass, you need to be able to work competently on the machine, taking into account all the nuances.

Main muscles involved

TVB has long been recognized by all trainers as one of the most basic exercises.
It is suitable for beginners or already experienced athletes, since it is a combined and multi-joint technique. When performing it, the elbow and shoulder joints are involved, and the load is directed to the back muscles. In accordance with this, TVB is recognized as indispensable for working out the “wings” - the latissimus dorsi, teres major and pectoralis major muscles. In addition, when performing this movement, the biceps, the back of the deltoid muscle, the rhomboid and brachial muscles are also included in the work. The triceps are also pumped up a little. Working out the muscles will depend on the grip with which the athlete holds the bar of the block machine. The structure of the figure also depends on the chosen type of grip - using all types of TVB, you can strengthen the listed muscles of the back and shoulders.

What muscles work

Main movers:

Both are wide;
Rhomboid muscles;
Biceps

Movement aids and stabilizers:

Large pectorals;
Press;
Trapezoidal;
Muscles of the palm and forearm;
Longus dorsi muscle

During the exercise, static tension in the muscles of the thighs and buttocks is possible if the athlete is accustomed to resting his feet on the floor in order to help himself well during the training process. But this should not be considered as a training activity. Trapezius work (shoulder lifts) is also discouraged and is only done if the lifter is advanced enough to perform the movement with a slight cheat.

Wide-grip lat pull-down: execution technique

This type of TVB is considered one of the most common. It allows you to increase muscles for those who, for some reason, do not do pull-ups on the bar or rows behind the head. Also, the exercise allows you to correct your posture, visually enlarge your shoulders and prepare the body for other types of training, working on increasing strength.

Proper execution of this movement requires the following rules:

A wide grip must be done so that the hands are shoulder-width apart, but at the same time the shoulders can drop down and the shoulder blades can be brought down to the spine. There are curves on the handles of the indoor exercise machine - these are the ones you should grasp when setting the grip.
You need to sit comfortably on the seat, place your legs under the cushion.
The movement itself occurs due to muscle tension, in which the athlete pulls the handle to the top of the chest and holds it for several seconds.

Types of upper block rods

There are many variations of TVB. And for any of them there are certain nuances that it is advisable for any athlete to take into account, because they help achieve better results when using such a block simulator. However, absolutely all types of deadlifts are essentially “reverse pull-ups”, only in this case it is not the bodybuilder who pulls up his body and its weight, but the weight that is pulled towards him.

It must be remembered that using different types of grips makes it possible to diversify the load on the muscles. If you use a wide grip, you work on the upper area of the lats, which allows you to visually enlarge your shoulders and back, as well as create its beautiful relief. With a narrow grip, on the contrary, the lower part of these muscles works.

Pulldowns with a medium reverse grip

This type of TVB is used to work the lower back, but ignores the upper back. Proper technique involves taking into account some recommendations:

This type of grip involves placing your hands shoulder-width apart, but not wider or narrower. On a standard machine handle, athletes typically hold onto a notch on the handle. In this case, the palms are positioned towards the bodybuilder.
A person should sit on the exercise machine bench when his hands are already on the handle, and his fingers should tightly clasp the handle of the machine.
The exercise itself involves contracting the back muscles, due to which the bodybuilder pulls the weight to the top of the chest. In the movement, the forearms move along the body and the elbows are positioned towards the floor. The reverse movement is based on gradual relaxation of the muscles and consists of moving the handle back. You need to watch your elbows - at the top point they straighten.

Parallel grip lat pulldown to chest

This variation is well suited for building a symmetrical figure.
It gives the muscles relief and makes it possible to eliminate visual imbalances. The movement itself implies a load on the arm muscles, so even for a person who comes to the gym for the first time, including such a load in the program will make it much more effective. This type of TVB requires a separate handle with two handles. Sometimes such handles are not the right length for athletes; this nuance must be taken into account before building a training program. The technique of implementation involves taking into account the following rules:

Place your hands with your palms facing each other. When moving, the elbows are brought so as to touch the top of the sternum with the handle.
At the lowest point, peak muscle contraction occurs, and then the bodybuilder smoothly moves the handle of the exercise machine upward.

Recommendations for implementation

The vertical lever row in the hummer machine is an easy-to-execute exercise. However, knowing some nuances increases its effectiveness.

The main “secret” is close attention to the movement of the shoulder blades and the contraction of the back muscles.

To load your back as much as possible, you need to pull the handles “through the lats”, controlling their work. To do this, begin to pull the weight, focusing on retracting your shoulder blades rather than curling your arms.

The biceps perform an auxiliary function. The hands only transmit the impulse from the lats to the handles of the machine. There is no need to perform the exercise by simply trying to bend your elbows. This way the back muscles are much less involved.

In the top position, do not straighten your elbows completely . Keep them slightly bent to keep the tension in the lats and prevent them from relaxing.

With this technique, it is more difficult to perform the movement, but the effectiveness of the exercise increases many times over.

Advantages and disadvantages of working in a vertical block

The specificity of this movement is that TVB is used both for beginners who come to the gym for the first time, and for professionals who have repeatedly performed in competitions. With proper technique, it pumps up the muscles well and makes it possible to quickly improve the rate of increase in muscle mass. Therefore, this movement has quite a lot of advantages, including the following:

This is a multi-repetition movement in which there is the possibility of adjusting the working weight.
TVB is great for beginners or athletes after injury.
Exercise allows you to create a narrower waist, good posture, and increase the width of your back.
TVB can be performed by persons of both sexes.

The movement has wide variability, since the muscles in it can be worked at different angles and planes.

However, the thrust of the upper block also has significant disadvantages:

This movement is one of the most popular in the basic training program, so athletes often perform it incorrectly, due to which its effectiveness is significantly reduced.
Even with prolonged use of this movement, there will be no development of the auxiliary muscles of the back. This means that at a certain stage it is necessary to introduce additional training into the program, otherwise the effect will decrease.

Inclusion in the program

The lever pull is equally suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.

Beginners can use this movement as one of the main exercises to work their back muscles. In this case, they are better off using medium weights, in the rep range of 8-12 reps per set.

Intermediate and advanced levels also use movement during the bulking period of training. As a rule, it is placed in the middle or end of a back program.

The load mode can be strength (heavy weight, in the repetition range 6-10 times per set). Or classic, for weight (average weight 8-12 times).

The advanced level often uses vertical lever traction while working on the relief and detailing of the back muscles.

Here, as a rule, deadlifts are performed with each arm alternately, using light weights, in a high repetition range (15-20 reps).

Vertical block row for girls: what is good?

You can often read that TVB makes it possible to create the ideal symmetry of the figure, desired by many men.
But it is precisely for this reason that most girls avoid this exercise completely in vain. In fact, it is perfect for women too. With TVB, not only the back muscles are pumped, but also the rear bundles of deltoid muscles, triceps, biceps and forearm. Accordingly, even if you are unable to do pull-ups, thanks to this movement, you can work several muscle groups at the same time, and also improve your strength in the future. TVB for women can serve a wide variety of purposes. With this movement you can develop explosive strength, work on relief or mass. The range of influence of TVB and its potential is practically inexhaustible.

What can replace the thrust of a vertical block?

TVB is considered to be an excellent alternative to regular pull-ups for those who have recently started going to the gym or for athletes after serious injuries. The difference in these movements is that generally pull-ups use a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Pull-ups have their advantages, which often force athletes to choose this type of physical activity. So, in this movement there is involvement of the core muscles in the work, which makes it possible to increase the strength indicators of the upper body.

Straight Grip Pull-Up

However, these types of loads also have a common drawback - a simple exercise is often performed incorrectly, which potentially creates a traumatic situation. This is why experienced trainers recommend that beginners start working on the body on a block simulator, and after mastering the correct technique and adapting the body to the load, move on to pull-ups.

Basic mistakes and recommendations

Like other types of deadlifts and presses performed on block machines, TVB is distinguished by nuances in its technique, without which it will not be possible to properly work the muscles. However, many beginners make technical mistakes, among which the most common are the following:

TVB due to inertia. Many beginners pull weights using the energy of inertia, leaning their body away from the machine and pulling the bar to the top of their back with a jerk. Such incorrect technique can injure joints and greatly reduce the effectiveness of training.
TVB due to arm strength. Often an athlete takes on most of the load during a TVB exercise at the expense of the strength of other muscles, but it simply doesn’t make sense to train this way. To eliminate the error, you need to carefully monitor the location of your elbows.
TVB using your own weight. Some beginners pull a weighted block using their own body weight, giving the force an initial acceleration. This practice leads to injury and is ineffective.

So, TVB is the main exercise that helps increase back muscles. But for muscle growth to progress, you need to constantly increase the load and comply with the correct technique.