Negative pull-ups are one of the best exercises to gain strength and endurance in your back muscles . It is an exercise that works in an eccentric way and that will transfer direct results in sports performance.
Main muscles that make up the back
In the area of our back we can find some of the most important and most extensive muscles of our entire body. Training and developing these muscles will make your body gain aesthetics ; therefore, it is one of the main objectives of most people who go to gyms.
To describe all the muscles of the back we will divide them into three main groups: deep, intermediate and superficial muscles .
Deep muscles
In this group we can classify those muscles that are directly related to the spine . They are one of the most important in the back, since it will depend on them that we have a good body posture and avoid discomfort.
These muscles originate from the sacrum and extend into the skull. Among the most outstanding deep muscles, we can mention the transverse spinot muscles and the splenium muscle.
Intermediate muscles
The intermediate muscles are those muscles of the back located in the rib cage. The main function of these muscles is the elevation and depression of the ribs , which is why it is often associated with the breathing process. The serratus posterior inferior, the serratus posterior superior, the iliocostalis, the longisimo, and the spinal thoracic are part of these muscles.
Superficial muscles
Superficial muscles are associated with movement of the shoulder . They receive this name because they are those that are located just under the skin and the superficial fascia.
These muscles originate from the spine and are attached to the clavicle, shoulder bones, humerus, and scapula. The main function of the superficial muscles is associated with the movement of the upper limb. The most representative muscles of these are the trapezius and the dorsalis , the main muscles to which most of the bodybuilding exercises performed in gyms are directed.
What are negative or eccentric pull-ups?
This exercise will help you improve your performance and obtain a greater number of pull-ups.
Negative chin-ups are an eccentric exercise that will work against you, that is, you must eliminate the concentric or rising phase to only focus on the lowering or eccentric phase .
This type of pull-up is usually recommended for subjects who want to improve the number of pull-ups, since it works on strength and endurance, transferring the benefits directly to the conventional pull-up.
- To perform the eccentric chin-ups you will need the help of a bench or step that allows you to make the climb effortlessly.
- Do a jump that allows you to pass your head over the bar.
- From there, go down, retaining the weight until the position of full stretch of your arms.
Benefits of performing negative pull-ups
Some of the benefits that we can associate with this exercise are:
- It is a movement that works the muscles of your arms, back and core.
- You will gain strength and this can be transferred to other exercises or disciplines.
- The execution technique is very simple so the risk of injury is really low.
- It is one of the few exercises that specifically works the muscles eccentrically.
- It can be run by any user, regardless of their experience.
Exercises that you should add in your planning to complete your back routine
Eccentric chin-ups are a fantastic exercise to work your back muscles, but you should complete your routine with the exercises that we suggest below if you really want to notice the results you are looking for.
Chin ups with supine grip or chin ups: a variant of negative chin ups
The supine chin-up is an exercise that involves several joints of the upper body , therefore, it is considered a multi-joint exercise .
Any chin-up consists of a pulling movement, mostly known as pull, in which you have to raise your head above a bar , pulling with your arms and performing the movement with your back muscles.
In this specific case, the position of the hands when grasping the bar is performed in a supine position, that is, with the fingers of the hands pointing towards the face.
To run them correctly you must:
- Grab a bar that is raised. The grip will be in a supine position.
- From the hanging position of the bar you must pull to raise your torso to the height of the bar, allowing the chin to exceed it.
- Control the lowering motion without getting off the hook and repeat the same motion.
Barbell row
Rowing is a compound and multi-joint exercise in which the main movement pattern is a pull that is generated mainly in the middle of the back, but that also involves strength in the muscles of the arms.
Although this exercise involves a pull in a different plane than the chin-up, here the horizontal pull is performed and in the vertical chin-up, the transfer of force in the back muscles and the execution of the chin-up is direct.
The correct execution of this exercise is:
- Hold a barbell at biacromial width, roughly the same as your shoulder width.
- Bend your knees until you can keep your torso in a horizontal position with the ground and in a neutral position that allows you to keep your spine in a straight line.
- Do an arm pull to bring the bar to your torso. Take your sternum as a reference, that’s where the bar has to go.
- Perform the descent in a controlled manner by extending your arms and retaining the speed of the weight.
Australian chin-ups or rack chins
The australine chin-up or inverted row is one of the one of the basic and essential exercises that should be part of your training routine if you want to improve in the chin-up.
It is an exercise that will help you gain resistance in the muscles involved in the chin-up.
To do it correctly you must:
- Grab a barbell with your hands in a prone position.
- Stretch your legs until your body is straight, supported by your heels and supported by your hands.
- Tighten your core to avoid losing position when pulling.
- Bring your chest closer to the bar.
- Go back to the starting position.
Conclution
If you want to improve the strength and endurance of your back, at the same time that you want to improve performance in the execution of chin-ups, we advise you to try to include negative chin-ups in your training routine.
If you are new to the world of training, we advise you to seek the help of a professional so that it is this or this one who can help you to program your training and correct the technique of the exercises whenever necessary.
References
- Albert, JP (March 28, 2019). What are the back muscles and how to work them? Calmatel.com https://calmatel.com/blog/musculos-de-la-espalda-y-como-trabajarlos/
- Higueruela, G. (May 5, 2020). Supine chin-ups to gain muscle in the biceps. menshealth.com https://www.menshealth.com/es/fitness/a32343618/dominados-supinas-biceps-chest/
- Galanche, CF (October 2, 2019). Barbell Row to Strengthen Your Back. mundoentrenamiento.com https://mundoentrenamiento.com/remo-con-barra-para-fortalecer-tu-espalda/
- Calisthenics and fitness. (April 23, 2017). RAISE YOUR BACK with Inverted Rows. calisteniayfitness.com https://calisteniayfitness.com/2017/04/23/aumenta-tu-espalda-con-los-remos-invertidos/
