Tag: Exercise Guides
The 10 Best Forearm Exercises for Arm Wrestling
While strength matters in arm wrestling, technique matters, too. There are several tricks you can use to beat a stronger opponent, such as moving your hand higher up their fingers and thumb to maximize your leverage while weakening theirs. This is called climbing.
But, at its heart, arm wrestling is a test of strength, and arm wrestlers often have very muscular arms and forearms. Most pros train with weights to develop the strength they need to beat their opponents and minimize their risk of injury.
In this article, we reveal the best forearm exercises for arm wrestling.
Arm Wrestling History
Arm wrestling (also spelled armwrestling) is an ancient strength sport. Evidence shows that arm wrestling was practiced in Egypt and Greece over 2,000 years ago. In America, native Americans did a type of arm wrestling, and on seeing it, settlers called it Indian wrestling. Arm wrestling was also popular in Spain, Japan, Cuba, Russia, Norway, and many others.
However, what started as an informal and spontaneous activity eventually became a professional sport. Pro arm wrestlers are now viewed as legitimate athletes.
Organized national and international arm-wrestling bouts started gaining popularity in the early 1950s. Like boxing, there are now several governing bodies, including the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), The International Armwrestling Federation (IAF), and the World Wristwrestling Championship (WWC).
Despite being a legitime sport governed by rules, a lot of people enjoy casual arm wrestling and like to test their strength against friends and acquaintances. Informal bouts often happen in barrooms, with the loser having to buy the beers.
Arm wrestling has also been featured in movies, most notably Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone.
The 10 Best Forearm Exercises for Arm Wrestling
Build the strength you need to pin your opponents with the ten best forearm exercises for arm wrestling!
1. Barbell wrist curls
Wrist curls are a cornerstone of arm wrestling forearm training. They strengthen the muscles you need to use to top-roll your opponent so their palm is turned upward. This is a weak position which makes it easier to push their arm downward. Most pro arm wrestlers do plenty of wrist curls.
Steps:
Sit on an exercise bench and lean forward so your forearms rest at the top and your wrists are free to move. Hold a barbell in your supinated (upturned) hands.
Extend your wrists and lower the bar down toward the floor. Open your hands and let the bar roll down your fingers.
Next, close your fingers and curl the weight upward. Finally, flex your wrist as far as possible to maximally engage the target muscles.
Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
A very arm wrestling-specific forearm exercise.
A good exercise for increasing forearm size.
Increases forearm and wrist flexibility as well as strength.
Tips:
Do this exercise with a light load for high reps to build endurance and heavier weights and lower reps for strength.
Lower the weight slowly and then lift it quickly to make this exercise more effective.
You can also do this exercise with dumbbells or just one dumbbell to train one forearm at a time.
2. Cable wrist curl
While there is nothing wrong with barbell wrist curls, they have an uneven strength curve, making some parts of the exercise harder than others. Using a cable machine keeps the target muscles under near-constant tension, which may mean this is a more effective, efficient way to wrist curls.
Steps:
Place an exercise bench in front of a cable machine and attach a straight bar to the lowest pulley.
Sit on the bench, and grab the handle with an underhand grip. Rest your forearms on your legs so your wrists are just past your knees.
Extend your wrists and lower the bar down toward the floor. Open your hands and let the bar roll down your fingers.
Next, close your fingers and curl the bar upward. Finally, flex your wrist as far as possible to maximally engage the target muscles.
Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
More even tension on the target muscles compared to freeweight wrist curls.
Quick and easy to change the weights.
You can adjust the loading angle by moving the bench closer or further away from the pulley.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise with a single D-shaped handle and train one arm at a time.
Rep out to failure, lower the weight by 15-20%, and then rep out again to improve endurance, build muscle, and get a great pump. This is called a drop set.
Use a thick bar to challenge your grip more.
3. Behind-the-back wrist curls
No bench? No problem! You can get a great forearm workout with a barbell and some space to stand. This old-school exercise will pump up your forearms in seconds and build a cast-iron grip.
Steps:
Hold a barbell behind your back with your palms facing away from you.
Flex your wrists and curl the bar out and away from your body.
Pause with your forearms flexed for 1-3 seconds.
Lower the weight and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
A convenient exercise for home lifters.
A good movement for heavier weights and low reps.
A very effective old-school forearm and grip exercise.
Tips:
Use gym chalk to stop the bar from slipping out of your hands.
Use a thick bar to challenge your grip and develop more muscular forearms.
End your set with a 15-30 second dead hold to fully exhaust your forearms.
4. Single-arm hammer curls
Pulling your forearm toward your chest increases your leverage while decreasing your opponent’s. Once your arm is close to your body, you should find it easier to press the other guy’s arm down and pin it. Single-arm hammer curls are very arm wrestling specific and deserve a place in your arm-wrestling workouts.
Steps:
Hold a dumbbell in one hand, arm by your side, palm facing your leg.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Bend your arm and curl the weight up to your shoulder. Do not rotate your wrist. Instead, maintain your neutral or thumbs-up grip.
Lower the dumbbell and repeat.
Switch sides and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis.
Benefits:
A very effective exercise for arm wrestling.
Identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.
A great way to build stronger, more muscular upper and lower arms.
Tips:
Use a thumbless grip to increase forearm engagement.
Use clip-on fat grips to work your forearms even more.
Pause for 1-3 seconds at the top of each rep for a more challenging workout.
Use your non-working arm to perform a few end-of-set forced reps.
5. Sledgehammer pronation and supination
Some arm-wrestling techniques involve twisting your opponent’s wrist. As such, you must strengthen the muscles responsible for pronating and supinating your forearm. Strength in these muscles will also make it harder for your opponent to gain the upper hand and turn your wrist.
Steps:
Hold a sledgehammer about a quarter to a third of the way down the handle. Bend your arm to 90 degrees and tuck your upper arm into your side.
Keeping your upper arm stationary, slowly turn the sledgehammer clockwise and then counterclockwise through about 90 degrees in each direction.
Continue until your forearms begin to burn and get pumped.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, pronators, supinators.
Benefits:
One of the best ways to train pronation and supination at the same time.
Easy to scale by moving your hand up or down the handle.
A low-tech but high-effect grip and forearm exercise.
Tips:
The further your hand is from the head of the sledgehammer, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
Use a light sledgehammer, as this exercise is more strenuous than it looks. 7-10 pounds should be sufficient for most people.
No sledgehammer? Load one end of an adjustable dumbbell bar and use that instead.
6. Towel wringing
While you can train your forearms for arm wrestling in a gym, you can also get a productive workout at home. This exercise works your grip and forearms using nothing but a water-logged towel. However, don’t let the simplicity of this exercise fool you into thinking it’s easy – it’s actually a beast!
Steps:
Dunk a towel in a bowl or bucket of water.
Remove the towel from the water and grip one end in both hands.
Twisting your hands, wring the water out of the first section of towel, move your hands down a few inches, and then wring it out again.
Continue down the length of the towel until you have wrung out as much water as you can.
Rest a moment, re-dunk the towel, and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors and extensors.
Benefits:
An excellent exercise for home workouts.
Very joint-friendly.
A great way to increase grip and forearm strength simultaneously.
Tips:
The thicker the towel, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
Don’t use your best towels for this exercise, as they may rip.
Reverse hand positions/wringing directions to ensure that you train both arms equally.
7. Wrist roller
The wrist roller is an old-school forearm and grip exercise that’s perfect for arm wrestling. While you can use it with heavy weights for low reps to build strength, it’s better for developing endurance so your muscles can cope with the demands of a lengthy arm-wrestling bout.
Steps:
Start with the cord unraveled and the weight resting on the floor. Hold the handle with an overhand grip.
Raise your arms in front of you, and then start rolling your wrists to wrap the cord around the handle. Use an alternating hand action, and try to wrap as much cord as possible per wrist turn.
Continue until you have done the desired number of reps or the weight reaches the handle.
Slowly lower the weight back down to the floor – no dropping!
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors and extensors.
Benefits:
A low-tech exercise that’s ideal for home workouts.
Wrist rollers are widely available and cheap to buy.
Easy to modify by adding or subtracting weight plates.
Tips:
Alternate between rolling your wrists forward (flexion) and backward (extension) to train the muscles on both sides of your forearms equally.
Lower your arms and hold the handle in front of your hips to take pressure off your shoulders.
Make your own wrist roller for just a few dollars – instructions here.
8. Towel pull-up
While towel pull-ups might not be an obvious exercise for arm wrestling, they’re actually an excellent choice. Towel pull-ups not only strengthen your forearms, but they’ll also build a vice-like grip, battering-ram biceps, and rock-hard lats, which are all muscles used during arm wrestling. Simply switching from regular pull-ups to this variation will help make you a stronger, more successful arm wrestler.
Steps:
Hang two gym towels over your pull-up bar.
Grip the ends of the towels and squeeze them tightly together.
Hang with your arms straight, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
Bend your arms and pull your shoulders up toward your hands.
Descend under control and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, forearm flexors, latissimus dorsi.
Benefits:
A total upper body/arm/grip workout for arm wrestlers.
Builds bigger, stronger forearms.
An easy exercise to add to your regular back workout.
Tips:
Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise more challenging.
Thicker towels make this exercise more grip-centric.
Just hang from the towels to build a stronger grip and muscular forearms if you cannot do pull-ups.
9. Hand grippers
Hand grippers are ideal for those times you want to work on your grip and forearms but don’t have time to go to the gym or do a full workout. Keep a hand gripper at home so you can train while watching TV or in your desk drawer at work so you can sneak in a set between phone calls. Buy heavy-duty hand grippers to ensure your workout is as effective as possible.
Steps:
Wrap all four fingers and your thumb around the hand gripper.
Squeeze it closed and then hold for a few seconds.
Slowly relax your hand and then repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
Highly portable, so you can train your grip anywhere and anytime.
Hand grippers are available in a wide range of closing strengths, so they’re ideal for all levels and abilities.
Hand grippers are cheap and widely available.
Tips:
Buy grippers that you can only just close. Easy-to-close hand grippers are of limited value.
Make sure you balance your hand gripper training with a few sets of finger extensions to balance your muscular development (see below).
Resist the temptation to use your hand grippers every day. This could lead to overuse injuries, such as tendonitis. Include a few rest days on your arm-wrestling forearm workouts.
10. Finger extensions
Most arm wrestling exercises focus on your forearm flexors. This makes sense, given how important these muscles are. However, you must also work on your finger extensors to ensure that the muscles that open your hands are strong and well-developed. Imbalances between flexors and extensors can lead to injuries. The good news is that training your finger extensors is easy and requires no special equipment.
Steps:
With your fingers straight and together, take a large rubber band and loop it around your fingertips and thumb. A standard stationary-type band should suffice.
Open your hand and spread your fingers and thumb apart as far as possible.
Slowly close your hand and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm extensors
Benefits:
A good exercise for promoting recovery.
Helps to prevent muscle imbalances.
Simple and easy to do – anywhere and anytime.
Tips:
Do one set of finger extensions for every few sets of forearm and hand flexion you perform.
Use a wide band so it stays in place and doesn’t slip off your fingers.
Loop the band around each finger to make your workout harder and make sure the band remains in place.
Keep a finger extension band in your pocket so you can do a set whenever you have a few minutes spare.
FAQs
Do you have a question about forearm exercises for arm wrestling? No worries because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will more muscular forearms make me a better arm wrestler?
Almost every great arm wrestler has big biceps and thick forearms. This is not a coincidence! However, the guy with the most muscular arms is not always the winner, and technique is also important. The small, skilled wrestler can often beat someone bigger but less experienced.
So, work on your forearm and arm strength, but don’t underestimate the importance of learning how to arm wrestle properly. Practice your skills by arm wrestling against a range of opponents.
2. How often should I train my forearms for arm wrestling?
While it may be tempting to train your forearms every day, you’ll probably get better results if you limit yourself to 2-3 intense workouts per week. This will provide plenty of time for recovery and muscle growth while reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
Build each workout around a few different exercises, so you hit your muscles from all the available angles, e.g.,
Single-arm hammer curls – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
Barbell wrist curls – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Sledgehammer supination/pronation – 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Choose different exercises for your next workout.
3. What is the best rep range for arm wrestling training?
Arm wrestlers need to be strong, powerful, and have good endurance so they’re ready for every type of bout and opponent. For example, being fast and explosive may help you win an arm-wrestling bout quickly. Still, you also need endurance in case the battle lasts longer than you expected.
As such, you should train your muscles with different rep ranges to ensure you are ready for all the demands you are likely to face. This means:
Power – 3-5 reps with heavy weights lifted quickly
Strength – 4-6 reps with heavy weights lifted slowly
Size – 8-12 reps with moderate weights*
Endurance – 15-20+ reps with light weights
*Optional
Use a variety of exercises and rep ranges in your workouts to ensure you have all the tools you need to dominate at the arm-wrestling table. There is no point in being strong if your muscles are tired in 10 seconds. Similarly, unlimited endurance won’t help you if you get pinned straight away by stronger opponents.
4. Do I need to train any other muscles besides my forearms?
While strong forearms are a must for successful arm wrestling, there are other muscles that also deserve your attention. After all, arm wrestling involves your entire upper body, not just your lower arms.
So, make sure you also train your chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, and core in your quest to become an unbeatable arm wrestler.
You should also train your legs simply to ensure your body is well-proportioned and balanced. Friends don’t let friends skip leg day, even if they are arm wrestlers.
5. Are arm wrestlers strong?
Arm wrestlers are very strong, but that strength is often specific to their chosen activity. For example, a powerful arm wrestler may not be a good bench presser or deadlifter. Arm wrestlers also tend not to be as muscular as bodybuilders.
There are exceptions, such as Larry Wheels, who excels in many different strength sports, including powerlifting, strongman, and arm wrestling.
However, as Wheels himself knows, size is not everything in arm wrestling, and smaller, more experienced competitors can sometimes beat much bigger opponents.
6. Is arm wrestling dangerous?
Any activity that tests maximal strength can be dangerous – including arm wrestling. Most arm-wrestling injuries affect the soft tissues and include ligament sprains and muscle strains. However, humerus (forearm bone) fractures also occur from time to time (1).
These injuries can be to the wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, or shoulder. Chronic overuse injuries are probably more common than acute injuries, although the latter tend to be more serious. Strength training can reduce the risk of injury by ensuring the structures of the body are up to the demands of arm wrestling.
You should also warm up before arm wrestling, stretch and mobilize your wrists, elbows, and shoulders between workouts and bouts, and use recovery tools such as massage guns, foam rolling, ice, and trigger point therapy to stop minor aches and pains turning into more serious problems.
Also, be wary of arm wrestling too often, wrestling against much stronger opponents, not using good technique, or not submitting once you know you’ve lost a bout, all of which increase your risk of injury.
More Forearm Exercises:
Wrapping Up
Arm wrestling is a popular activity and sport. Some people are naturally good arm wrestlers, while others need to work at it.
There is more to arm wrestling than just gripping your opponent’s hand and trying to push it down. There are several techniques and tricks you can use to improve your chances of success. Arm wrestling is a skill, and it’s worth becoming a student of the game if you want to get better.
That said, arm wrestling is a strength sport, and training your forearms will help you become a better arm wrestler. Building more muscular forearms could also protect you from injury.
So, train your forearms, as well as the rest of your upper body, and you’ll soon be king of the arm-wrestling table!
References:
1 – Moloney DP, Feeley I, Hughes AJ, Merghani K, Sheehan E, Kennedy M. Injuries associated with arm wrestling: A narrative review. J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2021 Apr 20;18:30-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2021.04.010. Erratum in: J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2021 Jul 30;20:101539. PMID: 33996446; PMCID: PMC8091050.
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Cable Reverse Crunch: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
The cable reverse crunch is not a familiar exercise to most of us (admit it, you’ve never tried it). Hopefully, that will change as we’re convinced it’s one of the most potent variations for bringing out those stubborn and oftentimes invisible lower abs.
Effective core training is not just doing a few weighted crunches, and planks (although they’re part of it). For the best results, you need to incorporate movements that curl the torso at both ends and emphasize core muscle contraction (and oh, it feels so good!).
In this guide, we spill the beans on this must-have ab movement, that offers advantages over similar core-building powerhouses. We’ll show you how to do it correctly, and explain why the hips are key!
Muscles Worked During The Cable Reverse Crunch
A powerful core, and hip strengthening exercise, learn how cable reverse crunches train the abdominal and lower body muscles and understand the importance of training them.
Rectus abdominis
The fancy term for abdominal muscles, rectus abdominis are a long pair of muscles that run between the pelvis and lower chest. Consequently, these muscles serve to curl the torso at both ends of its attachments. We see this during a regular lying floor crunch (lifting the head and shoulders off the floor), and when curling the pelvis and lifting the hips off the ground.
Transverse abdominis
Most people think the abs are the bumpy ridges, aka six pack muscles. Well, that’s one set of abdominals. We also have deeper core muscles called the transverse abdominis. Slung between the ribs and pelvis too, they wrap around the torso, horizontally, like a lifting belt, and consequently acts like one, compressing the core, and stabilizing the spine.
Reverse cable crunches activate transverse abdominis, especially during the hip raise.
Obliques
Playing a sidekick role to the rectus abdominis during cable reverse crunches, obliques lie on either side of the abdominals, more laterally on the torso. The obliques’ position allows them to crunch the trunk sideways, and perform rotational movement of the upper body.
Hip flexors
The hip flexors are muscles that connect our spines to our legs, and they allow us to pull the knees back and lift the butt off the floor. Not just one muscle, but several contribute to this action.
Hip flexor muscles include:
Iliacus
Psoas (major and minor)
Rectus femoris
Iliocapsularis
Sartorius
However, “hip flexors” usually refers to the psoas and iliacus that form the iliopsoas muscle. A powerful duo, these muscles, together, are the strongest and most important hip flexors. Consequently, when iliopsoas contracts, it supports standing, sitting, and overall lower body movement.
How To Do The Cable Reverse Crunch
The cable reverse crunch requires a little more setup and training experience compared to more basic abdominal exercises.
This section will guide you through the proper step-by-step process including machine setup, pre-set routine, and finally, the cable reverse crunch.
Steps
Slide the cable pulley to the lowest notch on the railing. Then attach an ankle strap.
Sit on your butt facing the machine, then wrap the strap around your ankles and make sure it’s secure, and will not come off. Tip: Start with a very light weight and do a few reps to test the secureness of the ankle strap.
Now lie back on the floor and lift your knees up so you’re upper legs are vertical or perpendicular to the floor, and the legs are bent at a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms forward next to your butt and place the palms flat on the floor. Press your lower back flat on the ground.
Lift your shoulders and head off the floor like you’re doing an upper ab crunch, as shown in the video example below.
Tense your core muscles, then pull your knees into your chest and lift your butt off the floor. Focusing on curling the pelvis toward the ceiling, and squeeze both your lower and upper abs hard.
Slowly drop your hips and move your legs forward in the starting 90-degree legs bent position. Then repeat for the preferred number of reps. That’s one set!
Watch a video demonstration of the cable reverse crunch, below.
Tips
If you’re a beginner to exercise or direct ab training, start with the bodyweight variation first. It should be very challenging without extra resistance.
If you don’t have access to a cable machine but still want to benefit from weighted leg crunches, you can do hanging leg raises, strap on some ankle weights, or hold a dumbbell, or exercise ball between your feet.
Focus on curling the pelvis and remember to lift the butt off the floor to really engage the lower abs. Don’t just focus on pulling the knees back as it’s more about what’s happening with the butt!
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Rectus abdominis
Secondary Muscles: Obliques, hip flexors
Type: Strength, hypertrophy
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Cables and ankle strap
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits of Cable Reverse Crunch
The cable reverse crunch fits a specific role, not really offered by other options. Besides the main benefits of training the abdominals, there are bonus benefits too. Here’s why we like it.
Add resistance to bodyweight lying leg crunches
A basic lying leg crunch can become boring and unchallenging for those who are more advanced in their training. The cable variation is a gamechanger because you can add incremental weight, and most people will never outgrow the full weight stack. Although, you don’t need much weight anyhow.
It’s also more convenient to use ankle straps, and not have to hold a weight between your feet. You can focus more on the actual exercise.
Awesome hanging leg raise alternative
Numbered weights are the easiest way to track and make progress. With bodyweight variations and banded movements, it’s harder to do. How else can you measure strength progress using your legs during ab training?
Easier to measure gains!
Numbered weights are the easiest way to track your progress, and that’s something cable training offers. Unlike bodyweight and banded exercises where you need to be more strategic about measuring your gains!
Drawbacks of Cable Reverse Crunches
While the cable reverse crunch is a sweet movement, there could be some potential drawbacks.
Requires a decent level of fitness and core strength
While it is a weighted variation, reverse crunches are hard enough without the added resistance. They require strong ad mobile hips, plus decent strength from the deeper and more superficial abdominal muscles. Therefore, we can see why weighted cable reverse crunches are not the best for beginners or those out of shape.
Cables are ideal, but not required
Cables allow you to easily track your progress using a numbered weight stack.
Unless you have regular access to a cable machine, the other variations and alternatives (like the ones below) may require a little more planning and strategy, as you cannot as easily add resistance or measure the weight loads as accurately.
Cable Reverse Crunch Variations and Alternatives
One of the exciting things about training is there are so many different ways to train a muscle. Not only does this combat workout boredom, but using different angles and techniques will undoubtedly get you the best results. The following exercises add extra resistance to your lower ab crunches.
Check out our favorite cable reverse crunch variations and alternatives…
Banded reverse crunches
Resistance bands are the natural alternative to using cables because, when used correctly, they should provide constant tension, not allowing your muscles to take a break at any point during a repetition.
Steps
Wrap one end of a loop resistance band around a heavy, stable object close to floor level as shown in the video example below.
Sit on the floor and wrap the other end of the band around the top of your feet.
Lie back and bring your knees up so the upper legs are vertical and your lower legs are horizontal.
Engage your core, drive your knees back, and lift your butt off the ground, curling the hips upward. Squeeze your abs, then drop your butt down to the floor, and return your legs to the starting angle.
That’s one rep… Now do several more to complete your set!
Tips
Start with a light band and focus on performing the exercise with a full range of motion, and feeling the abs contract. If you can do 15 easy reps, it’s time to add more resistance!
Keep your feet pointed toward the ceiling and toes curved back, or the band will snap back toward the base, throwing off your set.
Recliner crunch
One of the simplest and most effective ways to make leg crunches more challenging is to recline your body, so that your legs are at an angle, forcing gravity to create more resistance for your abs.
Steps
Sit in the center on the long side of a bench.
Grab the edge of the bench on either side of your thighs.
Lean back, keep your back straight, and raise your feet off the ground while keeping your feet together. Your core should tense naturally.
Now simultaneously pull your chest and knees into each other while squeezing your ab muscles hard.
Reverse the motion and repeat as many times as needed.
Related: 13 Best Hanging Leg Raise Alternatives For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Levels
Hanging leg and hip raise
If you have access to a pull-up bar, hanging leg raises are a must. The core works extra to stabilize the trunk, and you’re working the abs against the full weight of the legs, unlike a basic lying leg crunch. A more functional option than the cable reverse crunch, hanging variations should be in your top five!
Steps
Reach up and grab the bar with your hands spaced roughly shoulder width apart. Pull your shoulders down.
Hold your feet together and tense your core muscles.
Now bend your knees and lift them up past your waist, then curl your pelvis up and lift your butt to engage the lower abs. Contract the lower core, then slowly drop your legs to the starting position, but don’t fully straighten them.
Repeat until your set is finished.
Pro tip: For more lower ab engagement, lift your butt even higher than what’s demonstrated in the video provided below.
TRX/suspension trainer knee tuck
You can also flip around and use a suspension trainer like TRX or alternatives to imitate a similar movement. It’s more challenging than a lying bodyweight reverse crunch because you’re in a high plank position and the feet are elevated several inches the ground. There are a lot more muscles involved too, making suspension crunches a more functional, and mental fortitude building exercise.
Steps
Adjust the suspension handles to roughly mid calf height.
Place the top of your feet in the loops as shown in the video demonstration.
Get in a push-up position with your hands shoulder width apart, elbows locked out, and arms vertical. Keep your body straight.
Push your feet down into the straps to keep them stable, then tense your abs, and pull your knees to your chest and squeeze your core.
Extend your legs and repeat for the desired number of reps. Do not allow your hips to sag.
Stability ball ab tucks
A perfect home variation, if you have a decent level of fitness ability. Exercise ball knee tucks are harder than a basic lying ab tuck, and the stability requirements work your abs overtime!
Note: Use a quality ball and make sure it’s properly inflated.
Steps
Assume a push-up position with your hands roughly shoulder width apart, palms aligned with the lower chest, fingers pointed forward, and arms fully extended.
Prop your lower shins and feet on top of the ball keeping your legs close together. Your body should be straight with the butt slightly lifted.
Now pull your knees into your chest and squeeze your abs.
Extend your legs back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dragon flag/fly
Dragon flags need no convincing, used by none other than legends Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, and pro trainer/ fitness celebrity Jeff Cavaliere (Athlean X YouTube channel). It’s a more advanced core exercise that uses just the body weight for resistance. Static in nature, you must use more muscles to stabilize, balance, and create the movement.
The challenge comes from extended legs, which creates a longer lever arm.
Steps
Lie flat on your back and grab a stable section of your chosen object behind your head. Ideally, you can grab underneath and apply upward force.
With your legs and feet pressed together, use your hips and core to lift your feet toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line. This is your starting position.
Now brace your core strong and squeeze your butt muscles, then slowly drop your legs until they’re at a roughly 45-degree angle to the surface you’re lying on.
Pull your legs back to the starting spot and repeat!
Tips
Grip matters! Ideally, you can anchor yourself down by holding an object from underneath with the palms facing the sky.
Work on just eccentric phase to build strength by cheating your legs to the top and slowly fighting against gravity as it pushes your body back down. There’s a progression in the video example below.
Squeeze your glutes! Your butt muscles are important for hip extension (straightening the legs), so they need to be activated, especially during the lowering phase, do this exercise effectively.
Watch the video below to see the important form cues.
Here’s a detailed video that we recommend watching if you have a few minutes to spare!
FAQs
Below you’ll find answers to some common questions about cable reverse crunches.
What are the best sets and reps for cable reverse crunches?It depends on your level of experience, goals, and current routine. We generally recommend using a variety of sets and rep ranges to get the benefits of increased core strength, more muscle development, and building a more resilient and athletically capable midsection.
Below we listed a few examples of ideal rep ranges for each desired outcome.
Stronger core: 6-8 reps
A little strength and muscle growth: 8-12 reps
Ab development and endurance: 15-25 reps
Note: You should be using a weight that challenges you in the last few reps of each set.
Do cable reverse crunches train the entire abs?Yes, it’s impossible to entirely isolate one part of the abdominal muscles. While leg crunches emphasize the lower abdomen, the abs are a pair of long muscles that split down the center and run parallel. Therefore, a crunch activates the length of the abs.
Wrapping Up
We said the cable reverse crunch was a powerful ab variation and we meant it. Unlike using the forces of gravity (e.g., decline crunches and hanging leg raises), and your body weight, this exercise uses adjustable resistance, and replicates the same lying position as conventional ab crunches.
There are few downsides except you need access to a cable machine and decent fitness ability. But we’ve also shown you other effective options too if that’s ever the case.
Program cable reverse crunches to take your core gains to the next level!
Leg Press Variations for Powerful Quadriceps
While the squat remains the number one exercise for building powerful quads, the leg press is right up there. The leg press is a terrific alternative exercise if you can’t do squats due to your structure, mechanics, or inherent weaknesses. And, if you can squat, following it with a few sets of heavy leg presses will help you build power and mass in your quads.
In this article, we will uncover several leg press variations that will allow you to better target your quads for power. Most of these changes involve your foot positioning. As you’re about to discover, where you put your feet on the platform can make all the difference when it comes to targeting different muscle groups.
Leg Press Muscles Worked
The leg press is a compound exercise because it operates through two joints — the knee and hips. You are performing hip flexion when you lower the weight to bring your knees back. Then, when you push back to the start position, you perform knee extension.
Leg Press Muscles Worked
The leg press mainly works the quadriceps, which is a four-headed muscle group. These four muscles are:
Rectus femoris: This is the only quad muscle that crosses the hip joint. It originates at the base of the spine, running down the front of the quads to attach to the kneecap. This muscle plays a part in knee extension and hip flexion. A wider leg press stance will put more focus on the rectus femoris.
Vastus lateralis: It originates at the top of the upper leg bone (femur) and runs down the outside of the quads to attach to the kneecap. A wide stance will better activate this muscle.
Vastus intermedius: This muscle runs down the middle of the quads, from the top of the femur to the kneecap.
Vastus medialis: This muscle lies on the inner side of the quads, again running from the femur to the kneecap. Adopting a narrow leg press stance will maximally engage the vastus medialis.
The other muscles engaged when you do the leg press are the glutes, calves, and hamstrings.
Leg Press Benefits
Before we delve into the variations that will allow you to ramp up the intensity on the leg press, let’s consider three reasons why adding this exercise to your leg day workout in the first place makes sense.
Stable Environment
A major benefit of the leg press is that it allows you to work your legs in a stable environment. When you do exercises such as squats and lunges that don’t lock you into a fixed movement pattern, many things can go wrong, especially when working with heavy weights.
Built-in Safety
Because your back is supported when doing the leg press, you can concentrate 100% of your focus and energy on pressing the weight. The machine also has a built-in safety mechanism; with a simple twist of the handles, you can activate the locks that secure the weights in place. That means you can go extra heavy on this exercise without needing a spotter.
Greater Quad Focus
Your range of motion for the leg press is typically shorter than if you were doing squats. If you’re trying to develop quad mass and power, that’s actually a good thing. That’s because it keeps the focus on your quads rather than transferring it to your glutes and hamstrings.
Which Type of Leg Press Should You Use?
There are two types of leg press machines commonly found in gyms:
Horizontal
45-degree
With a horizontal leg press, you push your legs directly out in front of you. On the other hand, the 45-degree version has you pressing your legs at an angle.
So, which is best?
There is no definitive answer to this question. At this stage, no studies have directly compared the effectiveness of the two versions of the exercise in terms of building quad power. However, we can be informed by simple physics on this subject.
When doing the 45-degree leg press, the weight you load on the machine is spread out over the diagonal plane of the leg press machine. This creates a wide moment arm, which is the distance between the line of action and the pivot point, which in this case is the hip joint. The wider the moment arm, the lower the force needed to lift the weight.
But when you do the horizontal leg press, the weight is spread out directly in front of your hips, creating a shorter moment arm. A shorter moment arm means you’ll need more force to lift the weight.
That’s why you’ll find it harder to light the same weight on the horizontal leg press than on the 45-degree leg press.
As a general guide, you should be able to lift about 30% more weight on the 45-degree leg press. But simply being able to lift more weight will not make your quads stronger if the physics of the machine have made it easier.
The fact that it’s easier to lift a weight on the 45-degree leg press doesn’t mean that you should only use the horizontal machine. But if you’ve got access to both machines, you should compensate when using the 45-degree machine by adding extra weight to make up for the longer moment arm. If you don’t, you won’t be pushing your weight limit, and you’re likely to plateau your quad power.
Leg Press Form Tips
Whether using a horizontal or a 45-degree leg press machine, ensure that your lower back and glutes are pressed hard against the pads.
Do not use a weight that is too heavy. This will restrict your range of movement. Don’t be that guy who loads up seven or eight 45s on each side and then moves just a few inches.
Slow down. When you go too fast, your knees tend to cave in, and you may even bounce the weight using momentum at the bottom.
Don’t lock your knees at the top of the rep. Stopping just short of lock-out keeps the tension on your quads.
Consciously think about keeping the weight evenly distributed between both legs.
Should Your Knees Go Over Your Toes?
The knees-over-toes debate is usually associated with the squat, But the same applies to the leg press. For decades, lifters were told not to allow their knees to track over the toes because it would damage the knee joint. Recent research, however, has thrown that argument out the window.
One study showed that allowing your knees to track over your toes during the squat led to significantly improved activation of the vastus medialis head of the quadriceps. This part of the quads is often known as the ‘teardrop’ because of its appearance on a developed bodybuilder with low body fat levels. Furthermore, there was no adverse effect on the knee joint reported. [1]
It should be noted that this study specifically looked at the muscle stimulation of the quads during the squat. It is reasonable to speculate that the same thing applies to the leg press but, to date, there are no studies specifically testing the leg press in this regard.
The leg press foot platform is generally a large area. That gives you the freedom to vary your foot placement from very wide to very narrow. Where you choose to palace your feet on the platform will work your muscles differently. Here’s an overview of the different foot placements and what areas each one targets:
1. High & Wide
When you place your feet high and wide on the platform, you will target your hamstrings. You want to place your legs as high and wide on the platform as possible without your hips coming off the seat pad. Your toes should actually be off the edge of the platform’s top and angled outward. To accentuate the hamstrings, push your heels into the platform on the descent.
In the high and wide position, your feet should be about one and a half times your hip width.
2. Low & Close
Putting your feet low and close together on the platform will emphasize your quads. Your heels should be almost, but not quite, hanging off the bottom of the platform, with your feet about six inches apart.
When pressing, think of pushing your quads out and over your knees. Think also about keeping the weight distributed over the balls of your feet. This position is going to really blow up your quads, but only if you go deep on the descent. So don’t let your ego get in the way of a full range of motion.
As we’ve seen, the more your knees can track over your toes, the greater the quad activation, especially on the vastus medialis head. One way to increase this effect is to wear elevated-heel weightlifting shoes when doing the narrow stance leg press. This is especially beneficial if you have poor ankle flexibility and find your heel coming off the platform in the bottom position of the leg press.
3. Neutral
A neutral stance is where your feet will naturally go on the platform if you’re not thinking about it. Find your most comfortable position with your feet hip distance apart. This position will provide an even distribution across the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
A neutral foot placement will help you lift the most weight. Focus on a slow descent, bringing your knees down to the outside of your shoulders, and then push the heels through the platform on the ascent. Drive your lower back into the seat pad the whole time.
4. Heels Elevated
An adaptation of the neutral position may place extra emphasis on the quads. This involves wearing weightlifting shoes with elevated heels. The increased angle this creates puts more load on the vastus medialis quad muscle that runs into the knee joint.
5. Toes Elevated
To assume a toes elevated position, you need to place a pair of small weight plates or a squat wedge under your toes on the foot platform. Your feet should otherwise be in a neutral stance. This will shift the emphasis to your hamstrings.
Single Leg Press
The single-leg press allows you to work each quad independently. It helps correct quad strength imbalance, where one leg is stronger than the other.
When you do the two-legged leg press, your dominant side will take a disproportionate percentage of the weight. Doing the single-leg press forces each leg to carry its own weight, which will eventually help balance the strength between your quads.
Place your foot low and inside hip width to target the quads with the single-leg press. Place the other foot firmly on the ground. Unrack the weight and slowly bring the platform back toward you. Concentrate on the knee traveling back and out as you descend. This will lengthen your range of motion so that you don’t hit your knee into your ribcage.
Come back until your leg forms a right angle at the knee, and then push your heel into the platform to return to the start position. Don’t lock out at the top but move smoothly into the next rep.
Do not allow your heel to lift off during the descent. If you do, you’ll transfer the force from your quad to your knee. You must also not allow your hips to roll up off the pad in the bottom position.
A Leg Press Workout For Power Quads
Now that we’ve identified the best ways to do the leg press to target the quads, we can put them together to create a mini quad workout on the leg press machine. We’ll be doing the following three leg press variations:
Neutral-stance leg press
Low and close stance leg press
Single-leg press
The first two exercises will be done as a mechanical drop set. This is when you do a drop set without changing the weight by shifting your foot position. We’ll start with the low and close stance version, as this is the one that most directly targets the quads. After pumping out eight reps, you quickly rack the weight and shift to a neutral stance. Then immediately unrack and do another eight reps.
Because you’re strongest in the neutral stance, following a set of narrow stance reps with eight more neutral stance reps will tap deep into your quad’s strength reserves, allowing you to eke out every ounce of benefit from the set. The key to getting the most out of a mechanical drop set like this is minimizing the downtime between the two phases — it should only take a few seconds.
Once you’ve completed your 16 reps on the mechanical drop set, get out of the machine, shake your legs out, and then take half the weight off the machine. Now get straight back on and start pumping out single-leg presses. This transition should take you less than 30 seconds.
Your goal is to get 16 reps on each leg on the single-leg press. At that point, your quads will be on fire. Rest for two minutes, and then do the whole thing over again. Work up to doing three total sets. Here’s what it will look like:
Set One:
Narrow-stance leg press: 8 reps
Neutral stance leg press: 8 reps
Single-leg press (right leg): 16 reps
Single-leg press (left leg): 16 reps
Rest for two minutes and then repeat for another two sets.
Wrap Up
The leg press is an effective quad power and mass builder. You can target different areas of your upper legs depending on where you place your feet on the platform. The best way to target your quads is with a low, narrow stance. You can target the quads even more by elevating your heels using weightlifting shoes.
The next best foot stance to hit the quads is the neutral stance. This is also the version you can lift the most weight with. Our final quad-centric leg press move for power is the single-leg press with a low stance.
Combine these three exercises into a killer mechanical drop set followed by a unilateral quad isolation workout. You can either do this as the first part of your quad workout and follow it up with leg extensions and lunges or, if you’re game, do four sets of squats first and then jump into your leg press workout.
Just don’t expect to be able to walk the next day!
References
Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Zheng, N., Lander, J. E., Barrentine, S. W., Andrews, J. R., & Bergemann, B. W. (2001). Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(9), 1552-1566.
How to Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat — Technique Tips, Variations, & More
Single-leg training is the embodiment of the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Not only do unilateral exercises help reinforce good posture and improve your balance, they’re also devilishly effective at building muscle and strength. None, perhaps, more so than the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
The Bulgarian split squat is among the most high-value movements you can do for your glutes, quads, and core — and that’s before you even think about adding any extra resistance into the mix.
Credit: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock
Throw a loaded (or unloaded, even) barbell onto your back and you’ve got an all-in-one leg builder. However, the Bulgarian-style barbell split squat isn’t for the faint of heart; nor is it easy to perform. Here’s what you need to know about this exercise and, if you can stand it, what you stand to gain.
How to Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
It’s no secret; if you want to do the barbell Bulgarian squat, you’ll need a barbell. Additional weight plates are optional but will extend the utility of the exercise as you get stronger.
An elevated surface on which to rest your non-working leg is mandatory as well. A weight bench or plyometric box both work, but any stable knee-height surface will do.
Step 1 — Set Yourself Up
Credit: Sports Rehab Consulting / Youtube
Your best bet is to perform barbell-based split squats in a squat rack. Begin by unracking the barbell from the hooks as if you were going to perform a standard back or front squat. Take a few steps back and then lift and plant your non-working leg onto an elevated surface behind you.
Find your footing and stabilize your body. Grip the barbell tightly and contract your core. That’s the starting position.
Coach’s Tip: Taking a wide grip on the barbell might improve your balance.
Step 2 — Drop Your Hips
Credit: Sports Rehab Consulting / Youtube
From your starting position, descend into the squat by sitting down and slightly back with your hips. Allow your knee to travel freely in front of your toes if necessary. Sit down until the crease of your hip is lower than your kneecap, and then push forcefully into the floor with your working leg to return to the starting position.
Coach’s Tip: Fix your gaze on a point several feet away from you, close to the floor, to help maintain your balance as you move.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Sets and Reps
When it comes to programming single-leg exercises, you should always be cognizant of the balance requirement before jumping into a heavy or high-repetition set. If you’re training to improve your balance, great — but there are other ways to program this movement as well.
To Improve Balance: Go for 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps with a light weight and a slow tempo.
For Muscle Growth: Try 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps with a moderate weight.
To Gain Leg Strength: Keep it heavy and do 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 6 reps.
Common Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Mistakes
There’s a lot that can go awry during any single-leg exercise, and the barbell Bulgarian split squat is no exception. To do a proper split squat with the barbell, you need to steer clear of these mistakes.
Too Much Weight on Your Back Leg
The biggest mistake you can make during any single-legged squat is relying too heavily on your non-working leg. In a proper Bulgarian squat (whether you use a barbell or not), your non-working leg should do nothing more than help you suspend yourself in space.
80 to 90 percent of your body weight should rest on your working leg. Think of your off leg as a kickstand. Once you’ve established your setup, shift the bulk of your weight onto your working leg and keep it there for the entire set.
The placement of your working leg during barbell Bulgarian split squats will affect how you perform the exercise and what muscles do the majority of the work.
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
If you plant your foot directly under your hips, you’ll need exceptional ankle mobility to sit down into a deep squat. This will tax your quadriceps more than your glutes and also make the exercise more difficult to balance.
On the other hand, stretch your foot out too far in front of your body and you’ll limit quad engagement in favor of more glute and adductor activation instead. This position will also require you to lean forward and stretch your groin.
You should, at first, aim for a happy medium between these two extremes. Once you’re comfortable with the groove of the split squat, you can inch your foot forward or backward a bit to bias certain muscles over others.
Shifting Your Gaze
If you’re having trouble steadying yourself during an exercise like the split squat, one of the worst things you can do is shift your gaze around during your set. Instead, your best bet is to fix your eyes on a specific point from start to finish.
Ideally, you should look forward and down. This will help keep your head aligned with the angle of your torso. Also, your point of focus should be at least five feet in front of you, but what matters most is that your eyes don’t go wandering.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Variations
It may not look like the most versatile movement out there at a glance, but there’s a lot you can do with the barbell Bulgarian split squat. If you’re bored of the standard movement or want to adjust the stimulus, you can try out these variations.
Safety Bar Bulgarian Split Squat
If you have access to a safety bar in your gym, you might want to give it a go during the split squat. The safety bar adjusts the resistance such that it falls closer to your midline, which should make it easier to maintain your balance.
Safety bars also come with two ergonomic handles to hold onto, which can be highly useful if you can’t grasp a bar on your back due to inflexibility or injury.
Front Rack Bulgarian Split Squat
If you’re a true masochist, you can double down on the difficulty of a barbell split squat by holding it in the front rack position instead of across your back.
The front rack barbell split squat takes almost every aspect of the exercise up a notch. It challenges your upper back to a greater degree since the anterior load will constantly attempt to collapse your torso. It’s also harder to balance and asks more of your core.
The only potential downside is that you can’t use as much weight, but the exercise is challenging enough that you won’t need to in most cases.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives
Heavy single-leg squats have a lot to offer, but the barbell Bulgarian split squats aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you like them in theory but don’t gel with them in practice, there are other ways to reap many of the same benefits. Try out some of these alternatives instead.
Assisted Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Holding a heavy dumbbell (or two) during your split squats works wonders if you don’t have access to a barbell. However, dumbbell Bulgarian squats can be just as challenging to balance.
If you want to stimulate your legs unilaterally for muscle growth and aren’t concerned with the “acrobatics” of the exercise, you can support your balance by holding a dowel or PVC pipe in your free hand. This provides another point of contact with the ground and makes balance an afterthought, allowing you to focus harder on squeezing your legs.
Barbell Step-Up
Step-ups work just as well for building your legs as any split squat, particularly if you’re willing to load them up with heavy weights.
One unique benefit of the barbell step-up is that you can fine-tune your desired range of motion by adjusting the height of whatever you’re stepping up on to. This can help you ensure you don’t push into a range of motion you aren’t comfortable with or get stuck in the bottom of a split squat with no way out.
Single-Leg Leg Press
Single-leg training may sound alluring but you might only be after some targeted muscular stimulation. In the event that balance and hip mobility aren’t concerns of yours, you can still train your legs one at a time by hopping onto the leg press station.
Single-leg leg presses enable you to overload your quads and glutes with no fear of losing your balance. You also don’t have to devote nearly as much energy to maintaining core stability and posture. This frees you up to focus entirely on taking your muscles to, or beyond, failure.
Muscles Worked by the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
To make the most of any exercise you perform in (or out of) the weight room, you should have a working knowledge of the muscles that make each rep possible. Here’s a short overview of the major muscles that contribute to the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
Quadriceps
Your quadriceps, or “quads,” sit on the front of your thighs and control the bending and extending of your knee During the barbell Bulgarian split squat, your quad engages to help you stand up and complete each repetition.
Credit: DmitryStock / Shutterstock
You can also shift more or less load onto or away from your quads by adjusting the distance of your foot relative to your torso. The further away your foot is from your body, the less forward knee movement you’ll have, generally speaking. This limits how much your quads can contribute to each repetition, but you won’t be able to take them out of the equation entirely.
Glutes
Single-legged squatting is among the most effective things you can do in the gym to target your gluteal muscles. Not only do your glutes have to contract to push you out of the bottom of each rep of the split squat, but the gluteus medius and minimus have a stability-focused role.
This makes the barbell Bulgarian split squat a two-for-one glute builder. You can use it to build glute strength and power, while also developing robust hip stability at the same time.
Core
Any movement that requires you use one limb at a time will involve the muscles of your core to some degree. During a movement like the barbell Bulgarian split squat, your body weight isn’t evenly distributed across your base of support.
This requires you to contract your abdominals and obliques isometrically to help stabilize your trunk not only against gravity but the added resistance of the barbell as well.
Benefits of the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Single-leg squatting is among the most valuable things you can do during your leg workouts. From forcing new muscle hypertrophy to shoring up weaknesses, here’s what you stand to gain by adding in the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
Targeted Muscle Growth
When you go to train your arms, you probably don’t perform exclusively bilateral, two-armed exercises. Unilateral training helps you devote all your might to one muscle at a time; the same principle applies to leg training as well.
During back or front squats, your focus can easily shift away from the muscles you’re trying to work and toward simply pushing as hard as you can. While there’s nothing wrong with that, some single-leg work during which you give all your attention to your legs individually can do wonders.
Develops Hip Mobility and Strength
Working on one leg is one of the best ways to bulletproof your hips. Not only do the muscles surrounding your hips have to stabilize the joint as you descend and ascend through the split squat, but those tissues also have to prevent any errant side-to-side shifting as well. That added pelvic stability should carry over to other two-legged exercises as well.
Great Stimulus Without Lifting Heavy
Loading up a heavy barbell is one of the best parts of hitting the weight room, but ultra-heavy training isn’t for everyone. You may be tired, nursing an injury, or simply not have access to enough plates for a heavy squat workout.
Whatever the reason, you can get a brutally-effective workout in by swapping to single-leg training with the barbell Bulgarian split squat. The barbell itself may be enough, and every extra pound you add will be equal parts challenging and rewarding.
Who Should Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
If you have the guts — and a barbell, of course — you can take on the barbell Bulgarian split squat and reap the rewards. Beyond that, there are a few select groups that stand to benefit from this exercise in particular.
Beginners
If you’re taking your first steps on your fitness journey, a few of those steps should probably happen while you’re setting up for some sort of split squat. Unilateral training is a great way to set you up for long-term success in the gym.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
An exercise like the barbell Bulgarian split squat will help you improve your proprioception, or your bodily awareness in space. This carries over to every other exercise you perform. You’ll also build muscle and strength in the process, of course.
Strength Athletes
Strength athletes who practice powerlifting, weightlifting, strongman, or even CrossFit should consider adding the barbell Bulgarian split squat to their accessory repertoire. Most strength sports involve plenty of bilateral squatting but little to no movement or training on one leg.
Attacking aspects of your athleticism that aren’t covered by your sport will keep your workouts fresh, fun, and diverse. Furthermore, you can use exercises like the split squat as a screener to identify any weaknesses in your joint stability or leg strength that may impact your sport-specific performance.
Those Recovering from Injury
Single-legged movements are among the most commonly prescribed rehabilitative tools for soft tissue injuries. This is partly due to the fact that bilateral exercises (movements like the back squat, where you stand on both legs) can mask discrepancies in strength or stability. Or, your stronger side may pick up too much of the load, robbing the damaged area of proper stimulation.
Alternatively, the setup and execution of the barbell Bulgarian split squat naturally limits the amount of knee flexion. You also simply cannot move as much weight as during a two-legged squat. These factors have led some researchers to recommend split squats as a replacement for bilateral squats for those suffering from knee ailments. (1)
Credit: Manu Padilla / Shutterstock
That said, if you’re injured in any way, you should always consult with your physician or physical therapist before using any form of resistance training as a rehabilitative treatment.
Stand Your Ground
If you want to test your mettle in the weight room and build a pair of beastly wheels in the process, you need to swallow your pride and start doing the barbell Bulgarian split squat. You’d be shocked at how heavy an empty barbell can feel, but the gains are more than worth it.
FAQs
Still wondering if the barbell Bulgarian split squat is right for you? Check out some of these common questions to find the answers you seek.
Are split squats safe with a barbell?Absolutely. The barbell Bulgarian split squat may require a more intricate setup than working with just your own body weight or using dumbbells, but that doesn’t mean the exercise is unsafe.
That said, it’s not as easy to dump the weight and exit the set if you reach failure on this exercise. You may want to recruit a spotter to assist you from time to time, especially if you decide to go heavy.
What leg should I start with during barbell Bulgarian split squats?Generally speaking, during most unilateral movements you should start the set by working your non-dominant limb first. That leg is already working at a small disadvantage of strength or coordination; you don’t want to also be tired from working your stronger leg right before. Work your weaknesses while you’re fresh.
References
Mackey, E. R., & Riemann, B. L. (2021). Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat. International journal of exercise science, 14(1), 533–543.
Featured Image: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock
Tibialis Raise Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives
There are over 600 muscles in the human body. Still, most bodybuilders and exercisers tend to focus all their attention on about a dozen or so – usually those that are most prominent. This makes a lot of sense, given that things like the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, quadriceps, and biceps contribute the most…
Tibialis Raise Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives
There are over 600 muscles in the human body. Still, most bodybuilders and exercisers tend to focus all their attention on about a dozen or so – usually those that are most prominent. This makes a lot of sense, given that things like the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, quadriceps, and biceps contribute the most to your size and strength.
However, some smaller, less prominent muscles also deserve your attention. While training them might not add much to your physique, they may help improve your performance or reduce your risk of injury. Examples include your rhomboids, rotator cuff, and brachioradialis muscles.
In this article, we explain why and how to train another minor yet potentially crucial muscle – the tibialis anterior.
Tibialis Raises – Muscles Worked
It should be no surprise to learn that tibialis raises train your tibialis anterior muscle. Like many muscles, the tibialis anterior gets its name from the Greek words that describe its position and location.
The tibialis anterior is the narrow muscle on the front (anterior) of your shin bone (tibia). It has several functions, including:
Dorsiflexion of the ankle – pulling your foot up toward your chin
Inversion of the foot – turning the soles of your feet inward.
Adduction of the foot – turning your ankle inward.
Maintenance of the medial arch of the foot.
The tibialis anterior is the antagonist of the triceps surae, which is the collective name for the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.
While the tibialis muscle isn’t as big as your calves, it can still affect the size and shape of your lower leg. Also, if weak, it can have a negative impact on your gait (how you walk and run) and could increase your risk of certain lower leg injuries, such as shin splints.
Tibialis raises are an isolation exercise, meaning they involve movement at just one joint. In this instance, that joint is your ankle.
How to Do Tibialis Raises
There are several ways to do tibialis raises, but using a single dumbbell is probably the most accessible and straightforward. Get more from tibialis raises while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:
Sit on an exercise bench with your legs straight and together. Shuffle back so only your feet and lower legs hang off the bench.
Clamp a dumbbell between your feet.
Keeping your knees straight and stationary, extend your ankles and then pull them up toward your shins.
Continue for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tips:
Use as big a range of motion as possible to get a good stretch in your tibialis anterior muscle.
Put a band around your ankles and feet to hold the dumbbell in place.
You can also do this exercise with a tool called a tib bar.
Drop the dumbbell and continue repping out for a tough-as-nails tibialis anterior drop set.
Tibialis Raise Benefits and Drawbacks
Not sure if tibialis raises deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Better stability and balance
Soccer and basketball players, gymnasts, and calisthenics athletes often train their tibialis anterior muscles to improve ankle stability and balance. Stand on one leg for a minute or two, and you’ll soon feel your tibialis anterior start to work as you shift your weight and work to avoid falling over.
Whether you play sports or just want to do pistol or shrimp squats without losing your balance, stronger tibialis anterior muscles will help.
Reduced risk of lower limb injury
The tibialis anterior is a shock absorber and helps decelerate your foot after your heel hits the floor. This is an eccentric or braking action. Runners and participants in other high-impact sports can suffer from shin splints and even stress fractures of their shins. Doing tibialis raises may reduce the risk of lower limb injury.
Better lower leg development
Training your calves and not your tibialis anterior is like training your triceps but not your biceps or your quadriceps and not your hamstrings. While the tibialis is a slender, thin muscle, it still contributes to the overall thickness of your lower leg. If you are interested in maximizing lower leg muscle size, you need to train your tibialis anterior as well as your calves.
While tibialis raises are a mostly beneficial exercise, there is also a couple of drawbacks to consider:
May be unnecessary for some people
Suppose you don’t care about having jacked shins and aren’t a runner or athlete at risk from shin splints. In that case, you may not benefit from adding tibialis raises to your workouts. There may be better ways to spend your training time, such as stretching or working on your posture.
So, while tibialis raises are an effective exercise, not everyone needs to do them.
Severe delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
If you have never trained your tibialis anterior before, you should prepare yourself for some intense post-workout muscle soreness following your first few workouts.
Thankfully, because of the repeated bout effect, this will soon become less of an issue. But, initially, the pain could be pretty gnarly. So, start light, only do a few sets, and stay away from muscular failure until you have developed a tolerance to this exercise.
7 Tibialis Raise Variations and Alternatives
Tibialis raises are a highly effective lower leg exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:
1. Kettlebell tibialis raise
Kettlebells are tailor-made for doing tibialis raises. Using a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell means you can train one leg at the same time and identify and correct any left-to-right strength imbalances. In the case of injury, you may only want to train one leg. On the downside, kettlebells come in fixed weights, so you may not always have access to the correct load for this exercise.
Steps:
Sit on an exercise bench with one leg straight and the other bent with your foot resting on the floor. Shuffle back so only your foot and lower leg are off the bench.
Hang a kettlebell over your foot so the weight is closest to the floor.
Keeping your knee straight, extend your ankle and then pull it up toward your shins.
Continue for the desired number of reps.
Switch legs and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
You can train one leg at a time.
A good way to identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.
A different strength curve to dumbbell tibialis raises.
Tips:
Wear shoes with a thick tongue/padded upper to protect your feet from the kettlebell handle.
Start light – this exercise is harder than it looks.
Keep your shin horizontal so the kettlebell doesn’t slip off your toes.
You can also do this exercise with a bent knee – like this:
2. Weight plate tibialis raises
The great thing about most tibialis anterior exercises is that you don’t need any special equipment to do them. A dumbbell, kettlebell, or weight plate is all you really require. As such, they’re ideal for home exercisers or anyone who trains in a gym without a fancy tib raise machine.
Steps:
Sit on an exercise bench or sturdy chair with your shins vertical and knees bent to 90 degrees.
Gently rest a weight plate on your toes.
With the weight in place, lift your toes off the floor and dorsiflex your ankle.
Lower your feet back down and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
A low-tech but high-effect exercise.
The perfect tibialis anterior strengthener for home exercisers.
Easy to scale by using more or less weight.
Tips:
Train each side individually or together as preferred.
Wear shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty or scuffed on top.
Increase your range of motion by placing your heels on blocks.
3. Resistance band tibialis raises
The tibialis anterior is such a minor muscle that you may not want to dedicate extra gym time to training it. After all, more prominent muscles like your pecs, lats, and delts need your attention more. The good news is that you can work your shin muscles at home using nothing but a resistance band.
Steps:
Loop a wide resistance band around a low, immovable anchor. Sit with one leg outstretched and then loop the bend over your forefoot. Move forward or backward to adjust the tension on your band.
Point your ankle and then pull it up toward your shin.
Continue for the desired number of reps and then change legs.
Do the same number of reps on both legs.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
A joint-friendly exercise.
Ideal for home workouts.
Easy to scale by using different thickness bands or moving nearer or closer to your anchor point.
Tips:
Use a wide band, as the added friction will help keep it around your foot.
Loop the band around the back of your ankle and then cross it over your foot if it keeps slipping off.
You can also do this exercise sitting on a bench or chair or with your knee bent if preferred.
4. Standing tibialis raises
No weights or resistance bands? No problem! You can train your tibialis anterior using just the tension generated by your calves for resistance. This exercise is ideal for runners and anyone else who wants to improve tibialis muscle endurance for injury prevention. It’s simple, low-tech, but effective, and the perfect excuse-free tibialis raise alternative.
Steps:
Stand with your back to a flat, smooth wall. Lean against it, and then walk your feet forward and away from the wall. Keep your legs straight.
With your legs between 30-45 degrees, pull your toes up toward your shins and then lower them back to the floor.
Continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
An excuse-free tibialis anterior exercise.
An excellent exercise for athletes, especially runners.
Improves active ankle mobility and calf flexibility as you strengthen your shin muscles.
Tips:
Increase your range of motion by putting your heels on blocks.
The further you slide down the wall, the more demanding this exercise becomes.
You can also do this exercise using an alternating ankle action if preferred.
5. Heel walks
Heel walks teach you how to pull your toes up while engaging the rest of your lower body. Requiring no equipment, it’s an excellent exercise for doing between sets of calf raises. Calf raise/heel walk supersets are very time effective and a great way to develop your anterior and posterior lower leg muscles at the same time.
Steps:
Stand in good posture with your feet together, legs straight, and looking straight ahead.
Pull your toes up so your weight is balanced on your heels only.
Keeping your legs straight, go for a walk around your training area.
Continue until you are unable to keep your toes off the ground.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
A very accessible exercise as no equipment is required.
A very functional tibialis exercise.
Good for developing better ankle mobility and stability.
Tips:
This exercise is easier in minimalist shoes or barefoot.
Do not push your butt back. Instead, pull your toes up.
Superset with tiptoe walking to hit both sets of lower leg muscles equally and in a similar fashion. For example, walk across your gym on your toes, and then walk back on your heels.
6. Tibialis anterior machine raises
Some gyms have dedicated machines for training your tibialis anterior muscles. Such devices are safe and comfortable to use, and you can easily modify your workout by adding or subtracting weight. If your gym has one of these machines, you have everything you need to develop stronger, thicker tibialis anterior muscles, so use it, you lucky lifter!
Steps:
Sit on the machine and place the top of your foot or feet under the pad. Your heel(s) should rest on the footrest.
Pull your ankle(s) up against the resistance provided by the machine.
Lower your ankle(s) and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Primary: Tibialis anterior
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
The most comfortable way to train your tibialis anterior muscles.
Easy to scale up or down by adjusting the weights.
Train both legs simultaneously or one at a time as preferred.
Tips:
Adjust your range of motion to reflect your ankle mobility.
Pause at the top of each rep to maximize muscle engagement.
Tibialis machines come in a few different designs and may operate differently. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Failure to do so could result in injury.
FAQs
Do you have a question about tibialis raises or tibialis training in general? No worries because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will tibialis raises stop me from getting shin splints?
While there is no guarantee that tibialis raises will prevent shin splints completely, doing them should lower your risk. Shin splints are common in runners and athletes who do high-impact activities.
The tibialis anterior muscle plays a crucial role in decelerating your ankle and absorbing impact. If these muscles are weak, more force is directed into your shin, resulting in inflammation and pain.
Adding tibialis raises to your prehab workouts could mean shin splints never bother you. Given how long this condition can take to heal, all runners and athletes should consider adding tibialis raises to their workouts.
2. How often should I do tibialis raises?
The tibialis anterior is just another muscle and, as such, will respond best to 2-3 workouts per week. If you are new to tibialis anterior training, start with two workouts per week, e.g., Monday and Thursday. More experienced exercisers may benefit from three workouts a week, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
More than three workouts won’t leave much time for rest and recovery, and more workouts will not necessarily produce better results.
3. How many reps and sets of tibialis raises should I do?
The tibialis anterior is pretty small and relatively weak. As such, this muscle is not really suited to low-rep, heavy-load training. Instead, it responds best to moderate to high reps with medium to light weights. In most cases, you’ll get the best results by doing 12-20 reps per set.
Take your sets to within a couple of reps of failure to ensure you stimulate the muscle enough to make it grow and get stronger.
In terms of sets, if you feel like you need to do more than 3-4, you probably aren’t training hard enough or are resting too long between sets. Work a little harder, and you should find that you don’t need to do as much volume.
4. Are tibialis raises a good exercise for bodybuilders?
It’s not just runners and athletes who’ll benefit from tibialis raises; they’re good for bodybuilders, too. While the tibialis muscle is relatively small, it will still stand out when you’re lean, and it’s well-developed.
Recreational lifters and gym bros probably don’t need to train this muscle. Still, if you are a competitive bodybuilder looking to eliminate every possible weakness from your physique, you should probably add tibialis raises to your calf workouts.
5. My shins and the front of my ankles hurt after doing tibialis raises. What gives?
The tibialis anterior muscles are often underused, under-trained, and ignored. As such, this could be the first time you’ve worked them. If this is the case, you can expect some severe delayed onset muscle soreness after your first few tibialis raise workouts. This is normal and to be expected.
Avoid this problem by starting light and only doing a couple of relatively easy sets. Increase training volume and intensity gradually as your muscles get stronger.
You can also limit and reduce soreness by stretching and icing the affected area between workouts.
Tibialis Raise Guide – Wrapping Up
The tibialis anterior is a small muscle, and not everyone needs to train it. Athletes may benefit from doing tibialis raises, and strengthening the tibialis anterior may help lower your risk of shin splints. Stronger tibialis anterior muscles can also improve ankle stability and athletic performance.
Developing this muscle may also enhance the shape of your lower legs, although this probably only matters to competitive bodybuilders.
However, for the rest of us, our training time is probably best spent on bigger muscles or working on other fitness components, such as mobility and flexibility.
So, don’t feel you HAVE to add tibialis raises to your lower leg workouts. However, if you think they’ll be helpful, use this guide to ensure you do them correctly.
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The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises for Strength, Mass, and Better Posture
Take a look at most bodybuilding back workouts, and you’ll see an abundance of lat pulldown and pull-up exercises. That’s good news because these vertical pulling exercises are responsible for building upper back width.In fact, if you want a classic torso V-taper, pull-ups and pulldowns are all but compulsory.However, if you want a back that wide AND thick, you need more than vertical pulls. You need to include horizontal pulling exercises in your workouts, too. These hit your middle back more than your lats.A strong middle back will add a lot to your physique, increase your strength in the big lifts – even the bench press – and improve your posture. For these reasons, the best back workouts usually include as many horizontal pulling exercises as they do vertical.In this article, we reveal the best exercises for building up this critical muscle group. Middle Back Anatomy and Functions While you don’t need to be an expert in anatomy to build an impressive physique, knowing a little about the muscles of the human body can help you choose the best exercises for your workouts.When talking about the middle back, we’re actually referring to the muscles located across and between your scapulae or shoulder blades.These muscles are (1):Rhomboids The rhomboids connect your scapulae to your thoracic spine. There are two rhomboids: major (largest) and minor (smallest). They come as a pair – left and right. The rhomboids are not large muscles, but they are powerful and play an important part in the shape of your upper back and how it functions. For example, they play a vital role in stabilizing your shoulder blades and keeping them pressed flat against your ribcage.Trapezius Known as the traps for short, this is the large kite-shaped muscle of your upper back. It goes from the base of your skull down to the middle part of your spine and spans out toward your shoulders.The trapezius is made up of three sets of fibers – upper, middle, and lower. Each set of fibers has a different function.The upper traps pull your shoulders upward in a movement called elevation of the shoulder girdle. In contrast, the lower traps pull your shoulders downward, which is a movement called depression of the shoulder girdle.However, it’s the mid-traps that work with the rhomboids and are the main topic of this article. The mid-traps, working in conjunction with your rhomboids, pull your shoulder back and together in a movement called shoulder girdle retraction.Posterior deltoidsThe posterior or rear deltoids are NOT part of your middle back, but it’s almost impossible to train your mid-traps and rhomboids without working the muscles at the back of your shoulders. The rear delts are involved in horizontal shoulder extension and external rotation, which are two movements that happen during many mid-back exercises.As such, if you are training your middle back, you are probably working your posterior deltoids, too. This is no bad thing because a weak upper back is usually accompanied by underdeveloped rear deltoids.So, your mid back is actually two muscles working together – the mid-traps and rhomboids. When these muscles contract, they pull your shoulders together. This movement is a necessary part of many exercises, including rows, deadlifts, and even bench presses. It’s also important for your posture. Why is Your Middle Back Weak? Many people, including hardcore exercisers, have a weak upper back. This often manifests as poor posture, a rounded upper back during deadlifts or difficulty fully engaging the mid-traps and rhomboids. Poor bench press performance is often caused by an underdeveloped middle back.Common causes of upper back weakness include:Prolonged sittingSitting for a long time, especially if you hunch over a keyboard or screen, can stretch and weaken your upper back. As most people are habitual slouchers, it’s no wonder that so many people have a weak upper back.Not doing enough upper back trainingMonday is national chest training day, but when is national back training day? A lot of lifters spend far more time training their chests than they do their back, which makes muscle imbalances and weaknesses all but unavoidable.Read also: How to do the middle back stretch.Doing too many of the wrong back exercises and not enough of the right onesMost back exercises fall into one of two groups – vertical pulls or horizontal pulls. Ideally, you should do an equal amount of both types of exercise. But, if your middle back is weak, you should do more horizontal pulling than vertical pulling. Many back workouts involve too much vertical pulling, and that leaves the middle back underdeveloped.A poor mind-muscle connection It’s almost impossible to develop a muscle if you can’t feel it working. This is called your mind-muscle connection. Some people “lose touch” with their muscles and cannot feel them working or control them properly. So, even if you’re doing the right exercises, they may not produce the results you want.A good mind-muscle connection means you can control your muscles at will, and every exercise you perform will become much more effective (2).The good news is that you can fix your mind-muscle connection – find out how here.The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises Do you want to develop an impressive middle back but aren’t sure where to start? These are the ten best exercises for your mid-traps and rhomboids!1. Bent-over barbell row The bent-over barbell row is a somewhat controversial exercise, with some coaches saying that it’s best avoided. However, done with good form and not too much weight, the bent-over barbell row is an excellent middle-back exercise and can be performed safely by most people.Barbell Bent Over RowSteps:Grip and hold a barbell with an overhand, wider-than-shoulder-width grip. Pull your shoulders down and back, brace your core and bend your knees slightly.Hinge forward from the hips and lean over until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders.Without using your legs or back, bend your arms and row the bar up and into your chest. Pull your shoulders back and keep your elbows level with your shoulders.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae.Benefits:An excellent total back builder.A very accessible exercise – all you need is a barbell and weights.Small changes to the angle of your back will change the feel and effect of this exercise.Tips:Keep your lower back arched throughout to protect your spine and maximize middle back engagement.Lead with your elbows and pull the bar to your chest to emphasize the mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight throughout.2. Seal row If bent-over rows bother your lower back, or you prefer to work your upper body in isolation from your legs, then seal row is the exercise for you. You’ll need a tall bench for this mid-back builder, but in return, you’ll be able to push your mid-back to the limit without having to worry about your lower back at all.Steps:Place a flat bench on blocks or stacks to bumper plates so that your hands are a few inches away from the floor when you lie down on it.Lie face down on the bench and grip a barbell or dumbbells. Pull your shoulders down and back.Bend your arms and pull the bar up and into the bench level with your abdomen.Extend your arms, lower the weight, and repeat.You can also do this exercise on a slightly angled bench to hit your lower traps a little more, i.e., incline seal rows.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:A very back-friendly exercise.Can be done using a barbell or dumbbells as preferred.An effective way to target your middle back.Tips:Shrug your shoulder back at the start of each rep to fully engage your middle back.Lead with your elbows to maximize mid-back engagement.Use dumbbells to increase your range of motion.3. Seated chest-supported cable row The great thing about cable exercises is that they let you keep your muscles under near-constant tension, so you get a better workout in less time. This lower-back-friendly exercise is a very effective middle-back movement. It is ideal for beginner and advanced lifters alike.Steps:Attach a rope handle to a low cable. Alternatively, you can use D-shaped handles on an extended strap.Adjust an incline bench to about 70 degrees and place it in front of the cable machine, with the back of the bench facing the pulley.Sit on the bench with your chest against the backrest. Grip the handles and extend your arms.Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.Bend your arms and pull the handles in toward your lower ribs. Lead with your elbows, keep your wrists straight, and squeeze your shoulders together to maximize upper-back engagement.Smoothly extend your arms, let your shoulders shrug forward to stretch your middle back, retract your shoulders again, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No lower back strain to worry about.Your back muscles are under near-constant tension.Cable machine exercises are ideal for drop sets.Tips:Adjust the angle of the bench to hit different parts of your mid-back. The more inclined the bench, the more lower trap and lat engagement there will be. An upright bench focuses more on your mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight and lead with your elbows.Shrug your shoulders back and together to maximize mid-back engagement.4. Pendlay row Pendlay rows are named after legendary powerlifting and weightlifting coach Glen Pendlay. Also known as dead-stop rows, this barbell exercise is popular with Olympic weightlifters, who often use it to fix any upper and mid-back weakness. The dead stop between reps means you should be able to perform this exercise with moderate to heavy weights in relative comfort.Steps:Start with your barbell on the floor. Stand with your feet about hip to shoulder-width apart, toes under the bar.Bend your knees slightly, hinge forward from the hips, and bend over until your upper body is parallel to the floor.Grab the barbell with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Tuck your chin in and lengthen your neck; do not lift your head to look forward or allow your lower back to round.Brace your core, draw your shoulders down and back, and pull the bar up into your abdomen. Keep your upper arms tucked in close to your sides. Your upper body should remain stationary throughout.Lower the barbell back down the floor and let it settle, reset your core, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae. Benefits:A convenient exercise, as most gyms have a suitable barbell.Provides a brief pause between reps so you can reset your grip and core, do more reps, or use a heavier-than-usual weight.An excellent exercise for powerlifters, weightlifters, and strongman competitors.Tips:You can also do this exercise using dumbbells instead of a barbell.Raise the weight on blocks if you cannot maintain a neutral spine.Use lifting straps if you are training with heavy weights.5. Horizontal row You don’t need to use weights to train your middle back. In fact, there are a couple of great bodyweight exercises that are every bit as effective. Horizontal rows, also known as inverted rows, body rows, and Australian pull-ups, are a very convenient way to train your middle back without gym equipment.Steps:Set a bar to about waist height. Make sure the bar will not move. You can use a barbell in a squat rack or a Smith machine.Sit on the floor beneath the bar and hold it with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.Lean back so your arms are straight, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.Lift your hips, so your weight is supported on your heels and hands only. Make sure your body is straight – from your heels to your shoulders.Keeping your body properly aligned, bend your arms and pull your chest up to the bar. Keep your wrists straight and focus on leading with your elbows. Squeeze your shoulders together at the top of the rep.Slowly and smoothly extend your elbows and return to the starting position, keeping your body straight the whole time.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No equipment required, so ideal for home exercisers.Easy to scale by raising or lowering the height of the bar.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Use a suspension trainer or gymnastic rings for variety.Bend your legs and put your feet flat on the floor for an easier workout.Rest a weight plate on your hips for a more intense workout.6. Renegade row The renegade row is a combination middle back and core exercise. You can even combine it with push-ups to make it a total upper body builder. Be warned; this exercise is more strenuous than it looks, so don’t go too heavy too soon!Renegade RowsSteps:Hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also use kettlebells. Squat down and place the weights on the floor, so they’re roughly shoulder-width apart.Brace your abs and walk your feet out and back into the push-up position. Your body should form a straight line. Keep your wrists straight, and do not allow them to collapse.Move your feet out so that they are wider than shoulder-width apart to increase balance and stability. Look straight down at the floor to ensure your neck is neutral.Keeping one arm straight, bend the other arm and row the weight up and into your lower ribs. Do NOT allow your hips or shoulders to twist.Lower the weight back to the floor, swap sides, and repeat. Alternate arms for the duration of your set, keeping your core braced throughout.You can also do this exercise with your legs bent and knees resting on the floor to take pressure off your core.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, core.Benefits:Works well with light dumbbells.A very comprehensive upper-body exercise.Great for home exercisers, as so little equipment is required.Tips:Use hex-shaped dumbbells if available, as they’re more stable and less likely to roll.Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise harder.Do a push-up between rows to develop your chest as well as your back.7. Dumbbell rear delt row The dumbbell rear delt row does more than work your posterior deltoids; it also hits your mid-traps and rhomboids. The great thing about this exercise is that you don’t need a lot of weight to do it, so it’s ideal for home exercisers and anyone without access to heavy dumbbells.Steps:Sit on the end of an exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward from the hips and lower your chest toward your legs. Let your arms hang down from your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so that your hands are in the pronated or palms-down position.Leading with your elbows, pull the weights up and out so your upper arms are perpendicular to your upper body. Keep your wrists straight, and pull your shoulders down and back.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:Very little strain on your lower back.This exercise works well with light dumbbells.An accessible exercise that’s suitable for home and gym use.Tips:Use a chair if no bench is available.You can also do this exercise standing and by leaning over.Think about driving your elbows back to maximize middle-back engagement.8. Band pull-aparts The band pull-apart is arguably the most convenient way to train your middle back at home. This is a hugely effective posture exercise, and everyone who lifts weights should do band pull-aparts a few times per week. Do this exercise between sets of bench presses or during your upper body warm-ups. Alternatively, do sets of pull-aparts to break up long periods of sitting.Steps:Hold your resistance band with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Raise your arms in front of you so your hands are roughly level with your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down and back.Open your arms and stretch the band out across your chest.Return to the starting position and repeat.You can work your rhomboids from different angles by changing the angle of your arms and stretching the band diagonally across your chest, not just horizontally.Muscles targeted:Primary: Mid-traps, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:A very shoulder-friendly exercise.You can do band pull-aparts anywhere and at any time.One of the best posture exercises around.Tips: Do this exercise seated or standing as preferred.Try to accumulate 100 reps every day to fix your posture and keep your shoulders healthy.Include band pull-aparts in all your upper body warm-ups to activate and engage your upper back.9. Face pulls Face pulls are so-called because, when you do them, you look like you are going to stick your thumbs in your ears and waggle your fingers like a rude kid! Don’t let this peculiar name or image put you off; the face pull is an excellent mid-back exercise. It’s also fantastic for your posterior deltoids.Cable Face PullsSteps:Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set to about chest height.Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab both sides of the handle using a neutral grip. Place one foot in front of the other for balance if necessary.Keeping your elbows level with your shoulders, bend your arms and pull the rope toward your face, contracting your rear deltoids as you pull the ends of the handle apart.Straighten your arms and repeat for the desired number of reps.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:A very lower back and shoulder-friendly exercise.Very accessible, as most gyms have a suitable cable machine.Perfect for intensity-boosting drop sets.Tips:Imagine you are trying to poke your thumbs in your ears to maximize upper back engagement.Use a resistance band if you don’t have access to a cable machine.Pull the ends of the handles apart as well as back to work your back even more effectively.10. Reverse pec deck fly Reverse pec deck flys are often viewed as a read deltoid exercise, but they’re much more than that. They’re also a very effective way to target your middle back. With no weights to balance, this exercise leaves you free to focus on pushing your mid-traps and rhomboids to their limit. They’re also an excellent exercise for intensity-boosting drop sets.Steps:Sit on the pec deck machine with your chest against the pad. Reach out and grab the handles. Extend, but do not fully straighten your arms. Your hands should be level with or just below your shoulders.Open your arms and draw the handles out and back until your arms form a T-shape with your body.Return to the starting position, stopping just short of letting the weights touch down, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:No need to stabilize your upper body – the machine does it for you.An excellent exercise for beginners.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Experiment with a neutral and pronated grip to see which one you prefer.Lift your chest and pull your shoulders down and back to maximize mid-trap and rhomboid engagement.On reaching failure, lower the weight by 15-20% and crank out a few more reps to increase the intensity of your workouts.Frequently Asked QuestionsDo you have a question about middle-back training or back workouts in general? No sweat because we’ve got the answers!1. What is the best way to bring my mid-back up to the same level as my lats, shoulders, and chest?If your mid-back is weak, you must prioritize it in your workouts. Train your mid-traps and rhomboids twice per week, e.g., Monday and Thursday, and work them first in your back workouts, i.e., before your lats. Also, consider doing less lat training to give your mid-back a chance to “catch up.”Also, become more mid-back-aware, and pull your shoulders down and back during almost every other exercise you perform, even your arms and legs. This will help strengthen that all-important mind-muscle connection.Once you are happy with your middle back development, maintain it by doing an equal amount of horizontal pulling and pushing training. In other words, for every set of chest training, do a set of rows or similar.2. I can’t feel my middle back working – is this normal?A lack of sensation on your middle back is common and normal, and suggests that you have a weak mind-muscle connection. The good news is that this is relatively easy to fix, although it will take a while to reconnect your brain and back.Ways to do this include:Training your middle back more often.Practicing pulling your shoulders back and together several times a day, especially before training.Adding mid-rep pauses to rows and other mid-back exercises.Doing your reps more slowly and with less weight so you can emphasize retraction.In time, you should notice that you can feel your muscle back working more, indicating your mind-muscle connection is getting stronger.3. What sets and reps should I use for my middle back workouts?Your rep range is goal and exercise-dependent. To build strength, you must lift heavy weights for low reps, i.e., 1-5. Of course, such heavy loads are not practical for some middle-back exercises, such as horizontal rows or band pull-aparts.To build muscle, you can use light to moderate weights and do anywhere from 6-35 reps per set.Generally, the lower end of the scale is best for compound exercises. In contrast, the higher end is more suitable for isolation or single-joint movements.When training for hypertrophy or muscle growth, ensure that you take your sets to within 1-3 reps of failure. Easier sets will not trigger much muscle growth.4. How many times a week should I train my middle back?Twice a week is an excellent place to start for most people. This provides a good balance between work and recovery.For example, you could train your back on Monday and Thursday, leaving plenty of time for the rest of your body and recovery. One workout per week probably won’t be enough to produce good results, but will probably be sufficient to maintain muscle mass and strength.5. How many sets should I do per week for my middle back?The accepted number of sets per muscle group per week is 10-20. Beginners and older exercisers should do 10-14, while younger and more advanced exercisers can work up to 15-20. However, more sets will not necessarily produce better results.These sets should be evenly spread over your workouts. For example, if you want to do 15 sets for your back per week, you could do three workouts, each consisting of five sets for the target muscle.6. Why isn’t my mid-back growing?Your body will respond to your workouts unless you are doing something wrong. Common reasons for not achieving muscle growth include:Failing to consume enough protein – you need between 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of body weight.Not training hard enough – you must train to within 1-3 reps of failure.Not training often enough – once a week or less won’t cut it!Skipping too many workouts – even the best middle back exercises and workouts will not work if you don’t do them. You MUST be consistent.Training too hard, long, or often – your body has a limited capacity for recovery. If you work out hard seven days a week, your muscles won’t have the time or energy needed for growth.Not getting enough sleep – your muscles do most of their growing when you’re sleeping. So, you need 6-8 hours per night, and not just at weekends!It’s not been long enough – it takes time for your body to start responding to your workouts. If you’ve only been training for a few weeks, you probably won’t see many changes yet. So be patient and stick with it.7. Got a good mid-back workout for me to try?Sure do! Do this workout twice a week on non-consecutive days, e.g., Tuesday and Friday. But, before you begin, spend a few minutes warming up by doing some light cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your shoulders, elbows, and upper back.#Exercise SetsRepsRecovery1Pendlay rows44-63 minutes2Seal row36-82 minutes3Reverse pec deck fly310-1290 seconds4Face pulls212-1560 seconds5Band pull-apart215-2060 secondsMiddle Back Exercises – Final Thoughts It’s easy to neglect your middle back. After all, you can’t see it, so there is less of an incentive to train it. However, the mid-traps and rhomboids play a crucial role in your posture, shoulder stability, and upper back thickness. If you want to look and perform at your best, you MUST train your middle back as hard and as often as you train your lats, chest, and deltoids.Use the exercises and tips in this article to build a mid-back you can be proud of.More Back Exercises:References: 1. KenHub: Back Muscle Anatomy https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21632-back-muscles2. PubMed: Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection During Progressive Resistance Training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26700744/
9 Best High-Row Machine Alternatives
The high-row machine is a popular piece of equipment manufactured by Hammer Strength. You can find videos of top pro bodybuilders using this machine all over the internet. This machine is a plate-loaded iso-lateral machine that allows you to get a more natural feel and movement pattern than on a cable machine. The machine allows you to do the high-row exercise at an angle that would otherwise not be possible with free weights. The high pull is a hybrid between a lat pulldown and a seated row, coming from an angle that is approximately midway between the two. The diagonal pulling angle does a much better job of following the fiber direction of the lats, allowing you to effectively extend and contract your last through their full range of motion. The obvious problem with this machine is that not every gym has the Hammer Strength high-row machine. Unless you are at a high-end gym, your training facility might not have Hammer Strength gear. In this article, we lay out nine alternatives to the Hammer Strength high-row machine. To be honest, none of them are as effective as doing the exercise on an actual Hammer Strength machine. However, each will allow you to work the same muscles through a similar plane of motion and angle of movement. High-Row Muscles WorkedThe main muscles worked in the high-row are:1. Latissimus DorsiThe lats cover around half of the back. The lower two-thirds of the spine, the lower ribs, and the iliac crest of the pelvis are where the lat muscle fibers originate. They then travel diagonally to the head of the humerus in the armpit region.The purpose of the lats is to move the upper arm down and inward towards the hip.2. TrapeziusThe trapezius, often known as the traps, is a kite-shaped muscle that covers the top half of your mid back. It enables you to shrug your shoulders and bring your shoulder blades together.3. Rear DeltoidsThe rear deltoids help to pull the upper arms down and back. This is a minor muscle group that aids in the external rotation of the humerus. 4. BicepsThe biceps act as secondary movers on the Hammer Strength high-row. They are the main elbow flexor, which helps bring the handles down to your ribcage.How To Do High-Row MachineAdjust the seat on the high-row machine so that your hands can barely reach the handles. Load the appropriate weight on the machine. Sit on the seat with your thighs under the lap restraint.Grab the handles with an overhand grip. Pull your shoulders back, draw your scapulae together and activate your lats.Pull the handles down to your ribcage by driving the elbows down and back.You can row both arms together or one at a time. Return to the start position under control.Repeat for recommended reps.Pro Tip:Doing the high-row one arm at a time will allow you to better engage and activate your lats. Make sure you bring the handles down as far as possible. Avoid pulling with your biceps.Use an underhand grip for better lower back engagement. Benefits:The cable pullover does a great job of isolating and activating the lats. You can train each side unilaterally. The seated, stable position of the high-row makes it a good choice for rehab training. Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, biceps, and deltoidsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: MachineDifficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: Hypertrophy: 8-15Strength: 5-89 Effective High Row Machine AlternativesGiven below are the nine best high-row machine alternatives that should be a part of your exercise arsenal:1. Standing High Cable RowThe standing high cable row moves your arms through a similar movement angle as the Hammer Strength high row. Using cables keeps constant tension on the working muscles and provides an early phase loaded resistance curve. Steps:Set the pulley at its highest setting and attach a rope handle to the cable.Stand about two feet in front of the machine while facing it. Grab the handle with an overhand grip with both arms extended in front of you.Retract your shoulders as you pull with your elbows to bring the rope down to your upper chest. Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the bottom.Slowly return to the start position. Repeat for reps.Pro Tip:To keep constant tension on your muscles, make sure you don’t rack the weights at the bottom.Benefits of the Standing Cable Row:Keeps constant tension on your lats.Can be done with a resistance band.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius and deltoidsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: MachineDifficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: 8-152. Kneeling Machine High RowThe kneeling high cable row allows you to work through a similar range of motion and angle as the Hammer Strength high row machine. Using a cable keeps constant tension on the muscles through the motion. By doing the exercise in a kneeling position, you cut out lower body momentum. Steps:Select the appropriate weight and attach a rope handle to the cable. Set the pulley at its highest setting.Kneel about two feet in front of the machine while facing it.Grab the handle with an overhand grip with both arms extended in front of you.Retract your shoulders as you pull with your elbows to bring the rope down to your upper chest. Squeeze the shoulder blades together in the end position. Now slowly return to the start position. Pro Tip:Do not use a weight that will force you to round your back or use your hips to create momentum.Benefits of the Kneeling Machine High Row:Keeps constant tension on your lats.Can be done at home using a resistance band.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius and deltoidsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: MachineDifficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: 8-153. T-Bar RowThe T-Bar row follows a similar movement pattern as the Hammer Strenght high row. It gives you a good lat contraction at the top. Because the bar is fixed to the floor, there is less strain on the lower back than if you were doing a standard barbell row.Steps:Load an appropriate weight on the bar.Straddle the bar and grab the handles with a neutral grip. In the start position, your torso should be at a 45-degree angle with the floor.With your back in a neutral, slightly arched position and your entire core tight, pull the bar from a position of full arm extension up to your sternum. Lower under control to the start position.Repeat for recommended reps.Pro Tip:Using 25-pound plates will allow a better range of motion than using 45-pound plates.Benefits of the T-bar row:Awesome lat stretch and contraction.Potential to go heavy.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and bicepsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: Machine or barbellDifficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: Hypertrophy: 8-15Strength: 1-54. Face PullThe face pull helps target your trapezius muscles, upper lats, and rhomboids. This is also a good exercise to help you achieve and maintain an upright posture. Steps:Set the cable pulley at your eye level and attach a rope handle.Hold the handle at arm’s length and take a step back so the cable is taut at the starting position. Draw the elbows back to pull the rope toward your face. Bring your shoulder blades together as you pull back.Reverse the action to return to the starting position.Repeat for reps.Pro Tip:Don’t overload the weight, or you will be unable to maintain your center of balance.Benefits of the Face Pull:Eliminates momentum.Lower back-friendly.Target Muscle Group: TrapeziusSecondary Muscles: Rhomboids, rear deltoids, and bicepsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: Cable machineDifficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: 8-125. Resistance Band High RowThe resistance band high row allows you to simulate the Hammer Strength high row at home. With a resistance band, you can follow the same angle of movement as with the hammer machine and work each side of the back unilaterally. Steps:Secure the anchor strap of your resistance band in a door. Now kneel about three free from the door, facing it.Grab the band handles with an overhand grip and position yourself so the band is taut in the start position. Your arms should be fully extended at a 45-degree angle to the floor.Activate your lats and pull your elbows back to bring the band handles to your upper chest.Squeeze your shoulder blades together in the contracted position and then return to the start position under control. Repeat for reps.Pro Tip:Use a 10-15 rep range.Do not round your back while performing the exercise.Benefits of the Resistance Band High Row:Lets you work your lats unilaterally.Works through the same movement angle as the Hammer Strength high row.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and bicepsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: Resistance bandDifficulty: BeginnerBest Rep Range: 8-126. Lat Pull-InThe lat pull-in is a unilateral variation of the lat pull-down that allows you to move the lats through their entire range of motion from full extension all the way to full contraction. Steps:Set the cable pulley at its highest setting. Place a flat or military bench side next to the pulley machine.Sit on the bench and grasp the pulley handle with your closest hand. Adjust the seat so that your arm is approximately at a 35-degree angle with the pulley.Pull the handles down and in toward your side.Your elbow should touch your hip at the bottom.Reverse the action to return to the starting position.Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.Pro Tip:Try to touch your elbow to your hip on each rep and then feel for a full extension at the top of the movement. Benefits of the Lat Pull-In:The ideal range of motion and direction of movement.Allows you to work each side unilaterally.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and bicepsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: MachineDifficulty: BeginnerBest Rep Range: Hypertrophy: 8-12Strength: 1-57. Seal RowThe seal row does a great job of isolating the lats by removing the lower body from the equation and therefore eliminating any chance of using momentum.Steps:Place 45-pound plates underneath each side of a flat bench to increase its height (or use a specialized seal row bench). Position a dumbbell on each side of the bench.Lay on your stomach on the bench and extend your arms so that you can hold the dumbbells with an overhand, pronated grip at shoulder width.Lift your chest, depress your shoulder blades, and press your stomach against the bench.Pull the dumbbells up to the bench. At the top, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and tighten your lats.Lower under control.Repeat for recommended reps.Pro Tip:Focus on stretching your lats at the bottom and squeezing them at the top.Benefits of the Seal Row:Eliminates momentum.Lower back-friendly.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and bicepsType: HypertrophyMechanics: CompoundEquipment: DumbbellsDifficulty: BeginnerBest Rep Range: Hypertrophy: 8-12Strength: 1-58. Inverted RowThis bodyweight exercise will help you to target your lats. This is also a stepping-stone exercise for those who cannot perform a bodyweight pull-up.Steps:Rack a barbell at waist height in a squat rack. Alternatively, you could hatch the Smith machine barbell on safety pins at waist height. Lie supine under the bar so it is above your chest.Reach up to grab the bar using a shoulder-width grip. Your body should be at a 30-degree angle to the floor at the starting position.Pull your body up toward the bar until your chest touches it.Lower and repeat.Pro Tip:Do not kip the hips to get your body up to the bar. Hold the top position for a two-count. Benefits of the Inverted Row:Allows you to progress from body weight to resistance exercises.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Deltoids and tricepsType: StrengthMechanics: CompoundEquipment: Barbell and squat rackDifficulty: BeginnerBest Rep Range: 8-159. TRX High RowThe TRX High Row will help build a thick back and develop shoulder stabilizers and lower back muscles. This exercise does a better job of simulating the angle of the Hammer Strength high row than barbell exercises. Steps:Secure the TRX band to an overhead anchor point. Stand under the anchor point and grab the TRX handles.In the starting position, your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees at shoulder level. Walk back slightly until you feel tension through the upper back muscles.Keep your core, glutes, and hamstrings tight, and lower your body until your arms are extended. Pull back to the start position.Pro Tip:Keep your chest pulley out throughout the movement. Benefits of the TRX High Row:Recruits core stabilizers.Follows the angle of pull of the Hammer Strength high row.Target Muscle Group: Latissimus dorsiSecondary Muscles: Trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps, and coreType: StrengthMechanics: CompoundEquipment: Suspension trainer Difficulty: IntermediateBest Rep Range: 8-15Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is a Hammer Strength machine?A Hammer Strength machine is a plate-loaded machine that provides a hybrid between free weights and machines. Every Hammer Strength machine uses iso-lateral technology so that you can work each side of your body at a time. You could also do exercises bilaterally. Why is the Hammer Strength high row such a popular exercise?The Hammer Strength high row allows you to work your back muscles from a unique diagonal angle. This allows you to get an ideal range of motion, extension, and contraction. You can also work the lats either bilaterally or unilaterally on this machine.Are Hammer Strength machines better than free weights?Both hammer Strength machines and free weights have their pros and cons.Hammer Strength machines allow you to work with weight plates through various angles that you cannot do with free weights. They also provide a secure seating position that removes any momentum from the movement.The main advantage of free weights is that they require more balance and control and, so, recruit stabilizer muscles. You can also move them through various angles without being restricted to a machine’s movement path. More Related Alternatives:Wrapping UpThe Hammer Strength high-row machine is a fantastic piece of gym equipment to work the back. If you have access to a Hammer Strength high-row machine, we strongly encourage you to program it into your workouts. If you don’t have any Hammer Strength machines at your gym or are working out in your home gym, you can still target your back optimally using our nine high-row alternatives. They won’t be as effective as the actual Hammer Strength high row but will give you a very effective upper back workout.