The dumbbell high pull is a great exercise to boost your athletic performance. Moreover, the workout builds your upper body since it involves explosive movements. You will require a set of dumbbells to perform this exercise.
How to do dumbbell high pull:
- Start by positioning your feet ensuring that they are hip-distance apart.
- Hold the dumbbells in both hands using the overhand grip.
- Slightly bend forward while hinging your hips.
- Hold the dumbbells slightly below your knees. This is your starting position
- While straightening your hips and knees raise both dumbbells in an explosive manner. Do this by raising your elbows and pulling them to the side. Ensure that the dumbbells reach your neck or chin area. Perform this explosive movement while raising your heels so that you can tiptoe.
- Lower the dumbbells to your starting position.
- Perform 10 reps for 2 to 3 sets.
It is advisable to perform warm-ups before commencing the exercise. This will help in opening up your muscles.
WHAT MUSCLES DOES DUMBBELL HIGH PULL WORK?
UPPER BODY MUSCLES
The dumbbell high pull mainly targets your traps and lats. The latissimus dorsi muscle is a V-shaped muscle in your chest area that connects your vertebral column and your arms.
The explosive movements of the dumbbells upwards engage your lats and make them stronger. The exercise also builds and strengthens your trapezius muscle, which runs from your neck, shoulders, and back.
Additionally, the exercise builds and tones other upper body muscles, such as deltoids, rhomboids, lower back, triceps, and biceps.
This plays a vital role in improving your posture and minimizing the risk of back pain. Your grip strength also improves since you are holding the dumbbells throughout the entire exercise.
ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
The dumbbell high pull engages your abdominal muscles. This helps in developing your core strength. Besides, the routine burns calories in your abdominal region.
HAMSTRING AND GLUTEUS MUSCLE
The routine also works your lower body muscles. The exercise builds and tones your gluteus muscles, hip flexors, quadriceps, and hamstrings. This makes your butt to be rounder and firmer. Moreover, you are able to develop strong legs, which boost your athletic power.
DUMBBELL HIGH PULL BENEFITS
BURNS CALORIES
The dumbbell high pull plays a vital role in burning a lot of calories in your body. This is because the routine engages multiple muscles in your body. Therefore, the exercise is a form of a full body workout. This results in massive improvement in your physique improves, which boost your self- image and confidence.
STRENGTHENS YOUR ENTIRE POSTERIOR
The routine works your entire posterior chain. The muscles in your posterior chain are the strongest and most powerful in your body. This helps in promoting good posture and coordination. Good posture promotes back relief, improves your mood, and enhances your physique.
LIMITS RISK OF BACK INJURY
The technique strengthens your upper body. Moreover, the workout builds your upper body muscles, which help in protecting your spinal area from back pain. Furthermore, your body works as a functional unit, which limit the risk of injuries while performing activities.
ENHANCES YOUR ATHETIC PERFORMANCE
If you want to boost your athletic power, incorporate this exercise in your workout routine. The technique strengthens your upper body and legs. Therefore, you are able to do exercises such as jumping or running with minimal strain.
BOOSTS YOUR EXPLOSIVE POWER
The more you perform the technique, the more your explosive power increases. Ensure that you get the right technique. Great explosive power is also beneficial to your athletic performance since you are able to perform sports such as basketball.
ALTERNATIVES TO DUMBBELL HIGH PULL
BARBELL HIGH PULL
The barbell high pull is a great alternative since it targets your posterior chain muscles. You will require a barbell to perform this exercise. Load the bar with weights that are in line with your endurance level and fitness requirements.
How to do the barbell high pull:
- Start by positioning the barbell in front of you. Maintain a shoulder- width stance.
- Position your hands on the barbell ensuring that they are wider than your shoulder- width. Hold the bar with an overhand grip.
- At arm’s length, suspend the bar in front of your hips. Ensure that you stand straight.
- Lower your torso so that it is parallel to the floor. Do these while hinging your hips.
- Then pull the bar upwards towards your neck or chin. Do these while standing explosively. Bend your elbows as your raise the bar.
- Return the bar to the starting position then perform 10 reps for three sets.
DUMBBELL HIGH PULL MISTAKES TO AVOID
BENDING YOUR ARMS TOO SOON
Bending your elbows when suspending the dumbbells on your knee region, creates too much tension to your arms. This also prevents you from rising with an explosive momentum. Ensure that your arms are straight and bend them when pulling the dumbbells upwards.
MOVING TOO FAST
Going too fast is counter-productive. It prevents you from completing the reps correctly. Perform the dumbbell high pull in a slow and controlled motion so that you can engage your posterior muscles. You should focus on the quality of the reps rather than the quantity.
JUMPING
Jumping while doing the dumbbell high pull, strains your muscles. Additionally, you become fatigued easily. Rise explosively by raising your heels rather than your entire feet. Jumping can also cause you to fall, hence causing other injuries.
LIFTING TOO HEAVY
Using heavy dumbbells that are beyond your endurance level, can make it difficult to lift them towards your chin. This makes you to perform incomplete reps. Moreover, you pose a great risk of causing injuries. Ensure that you select weights that you can lift easily. Through consistency, you will be able to progress to heavier weights.
CONCLUSION
The dumbbell high pull is a great exercise to work your entire body. However, do not overdo the exercise since it can strain your muscles.
You can perform the routine 2 to 3 times a week. Avoid performing the technique if you have shoulder and back pain since it can aggravate the problem. Consult your fitness trainer if you are not sure about the correct technique.
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