The Muscles The Pull Ups Works
Target muscle: Lats
Primary muscle groups: Latissimus Dorsi
Secondary muscle groups: Biceps Brachii, Trapezius, Deltoid Posterior, Rhomboids, Teres Major, Teres Minor, Brachioradialis.
Overview
The narrow grip pull ups are often underestimated as back building exercise, but they definitely can be very useful productive exercise for building the back. The narrow grip ensure a greater range of motion than the standard and wide-grip pull ups which incorporates more muscle fibers, makes a better stretch at the muscle and stimulate the whole lats to grow. Also the narrow grip reduce the stress from the shoulder joints.
Preparation
Grasp the pull up bar with overhand grip (palms facing forward) and your hands slightly narrower than the shoulder width. Take your weight of the floor and hang on the bar with your knees flexed and lower legs crossed. Look toward the ceiling, arch your back and stick out your chest toward the bar. This is your starting position.
Execution
Inhale and start to pull yourself up until your upper chest reach the bar. Hold the contraction for a second and contract the back muscles by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Slowly lower yourself under control back to the starting position make a good stretch at the bottom and begin the next repetition.
Recommendations
- Keep your back arched and try to reach the bar with your upper chest not with your chin.
- Use a hook grip (with your thumbs over the bar) and wrist straps to ensure your grip and avoid failure in your forearms.
- Control the movement and don’t use swinging or kicking to pull yourself up, let the lats do the work not the momentum and you will see the results.
- Perform the negative phase of the movement for twice longer time than the positive.