Back Exercises
LYING SHOULDER FLY - Shoulder Adduction
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the latissimus dorsi, teres major and rear deltoid which make up the large pulling muscles of your upper back, as well as involving your biceps which are located on the front of your upper arms.
Starting position:
•Lie on your back, head toward the power rods.
•Grasp the handles and straighten the arms out to the sides with your palms facing away from the pul- leys, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
•Tightenyourabdominalstostabilizeyourspinewhilemaintainingaveryslightarchinthelowerback.
Action:
•Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blades down towards your bottom and then immediately start pulling your arms inward towards the sides of your body with a slow controlled motion.
•Slowly return to the starting position, allowing your arms and shoulder blades to move back up/out toward the power rods without relaxing.
Key points:
•Do not lose spinal alignment.
•Keep the lats tightened throughout the entire motion.
•Release your shoulder blades at the end of each rep and initiate each new rep by depressing your shoulder blades.
25
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REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS with the Lat Tower - Shoulder Extension (with elbow flexion)
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the latissimus dorsi, teres major and rear deltoid which make up the large pulling muscles of your upper back. It also involves the muscles on the front of your upper arms (the biceps group) which are responsible for bending your elbows.
Starting position:
•Facing the power rods, grasp the bar with an underhand grip, at a width determined above. Then sit on the bench.
•Positionyourthighsdirectlyunderthepulleysandsituprightwithyourarmsextendingupward.NOTE: You may position your hips directly under the pulleys but then you must lean back slightly from hips (not the waist).
•Maintain good spinal alignment, chest lifted, abs tight and maintain a very slight arch in your lower back.
Action:
•Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blades down and together while simultaneously drawing your elbows downward to the sides, and then inward, towards your body.
•At the end of the motion, your arms should be drawn near your sides (although may not be touching your sides), your shoulder blades should be fully depressed towards your hips and your forearms must be upward in line with the direction of the cables (not forward).
•Slowly return to the starting position allowing your arms and shoulder blades to move fully upward, without relaxing the muscles.
Key points:
•Do not lose spinal alignment.
•Keep the lats tightened throughout the entire motion.
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