Supinated lat pulldown is a good exercise to strengthen the muscles necessary to do a pull- up.
BENEFITS OF SUPINATED LAT PULLDOWN
As a powerful lifter, you need nothing short of a strong back. The supinated lat pulldowns have a number of benefits:
STRONGER LATS
In comparison with the traditional lat pulldown, the supinated lat pulldown does a better job of training your lats.
The use of an underhand grip enables you to pull the weight down further than you normally would with an overhead grip.
This makes you maximize the contraction of your latest at the bottom of each rep, which helps to build a thicker and stronger back.
A strong back is necessary for improving your performance in athletics, other related lifts, and day- to–day activities.
IMPROVING POSTURE
Sitting in chairs in an office for long hours or sitting while driving over a long distance can cause an underuse of your lats and other back muscles.
Consequently, this can lead to slouching, pain and tension in your shoulders and back. Engaging in underhand pulldowns can help in activating your underutilized muscles and reduce back pain or discomfort. With regular exercises, you will be able to stand upright and regain your right posture soon than you could imagine.
IMPROVES CONFIDENCE
The supinated lat pulldown engages your biceps while your lats do most of the heavy lifting. This empowers your ability to pull down more weight.
This in turn boosts your confidence and also maximizes the stress on your back. This attribute makes the supinated lat pulldown a great method to prepare your body to handle chin ups and pull ups.
Much as it is imperative to push yourself to the next level, ensure you use proper form to avoid injury
HOW TO DO SUPINATED LAT PULLDOWN
Equipment needed: a cable machine, a straight bar or a lat bar attachment
Set up:
- Sit on the bench as you face the cable machine.
- Extend your arms upwards to grab the bar with your palms facing towards yourself. Your hands should be about shoulder–width apart.
Action:
- In the course of leaning back slightly, brace your core, bringing your shoulder blades down and back, pull the bar down until it touches the top of your ribcage.
- Briefly pause at the bottom, squeeze your lats and slowly return to the starting position
- Maintain tightness in your core and repeat.
MISTAKES TO AVOID IN THE SUPINATED LAT PULLDOWN
Doing it just correctly will make you appreciate the time you took trying your hand. Therefore avoiding the following mistakes is worthwhile.
LEANING TOO FAR
Many a lifter has got the tendency to lean back too far during the lat pulldown. This makes this motion similar to an inverted row, which actively engages the rhomboids in your upper back.
USING YOUR ARMS TOO MUCH
Another mistake frequently made during the supinated lat pulldown is entirely using your bicep curl, which immensely reduces the stress on your back. Instead, try bringing the weight down with minimal help from your arms.
USING MOMENTUM TO PULL DOWN
It is important to note that as a lifter when you use the momentum of your body to bring the weight down, you are, in most cases, lifting too much weight.
In the long run, you swing your upper body back and forth to make up. In the real sense, using momentum does not help you build strength in your back.
If you happen to find yourself in such a dilemma, try to decrease the weight and keep your back relatively stationary during the underhand pulldown.
SUPINATED LAT PULLDOWN ALTERNATIVES
If you do not like the monotony of supinated lat PULLDOWN exercises, then check out the following alternative back exercises to improve your upper body training.
CHIN UP
Grab the bar with your palms facing towards you and your hands shoulder-width apart. Pull yourself upwards until your chin passes the bar. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.
UNDERHAND BARBELL ROW
Bend over at a 45⁰ angle and grab the barbell with an underhand grip. Squeeze your lats to row the barbell towards your belly button with each rep. Repeat.
CLOSE GRIP SEATED LOW ROW
Sit on the bench with your back straight and your feet planted on the foot pads. Extend your arms and grab the handle. Retract your shoulders, brace your abandoned pull the handle towards your belly button. Pause for a moment, and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.
MUSCLES WORKED BY SUPINATED LAT PULLDOWN
The muscles worked by the supinated lat pulldowns are divided into two main categories:
THE PRIMARY MUSCLES
THE LATS
Commonly known as the latissimus dorsi muscles– is a broad, flat muscle that occupies the majority of the lower posterior thorax.
The function of this muscle primarily is of the upper extremities and is also classified as a respiratory muscle. The latissimus dorsi belongs to the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles.
The latissimus dorsi muscles belong to the muscles of the scapula motion
This muscle has the ability to pull the inferior angle of the scapula in various directions, thereby producing movements on the shoulder joint.
SECONDARY MUSCLES WORKED
The secondary muscles worked by the supinated lat pulldowns are;
THE BICEPS MUSCLES
This is a muscle on the front of the upper arm. The biceps includes a ‘short head’s and a ‘long head ‘ that work as a single muscle. The biceps is attached to the arm bones by some tough connective tissues called tendons.
REAR DELTOID MUSCLES
The rear deltoid muscles are also known as the posterior deltoids. These are the muscle fibers on the rear side of your shoulders.
This muscle originates in the scapula (shoulder blade) and inserts into the humerus (upper arm) along with the lateral (side)and anterior (front) delt muscles.
THE FOREARM FLEXORS
The supinated lat pulldowns also work the forearm flexors also which are also known as the superficial anterior forearm muscles.
These consist of a group of five muscles located on the anterior (flexor) compartment of the forearm.
In conclusion, strengthening your back can never be easier for you as a serious weight lifter if you settle on the supinated lat pull-down or its alternatives as an exercise of choice.
With this knowledge, becoming a champion among your competitors can always be an achievable dream.
[related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page="4"]
