Exercises on the horizontal bar
The crossbar, or as it is also called the horizontal bar, is one of the equipment for gymnastics. Exercises on the horizontal bar are included in the program of general physical training of children in schools, because the implementation of elements on this apparatus is the prevention of diseases of the spine.
Horizontal bars can be seen in almost any gym or sports ground; many purchase a wall-mounted horizontal bar for practicing at home or install a crossbar in the doorway. This gymnastic apparatus is so popular because regular exercise on the horizontal bar helps to reduce weight, strengthen biceps and triceps, and also improves posture.
Pull-ups and other horizontal bar exercises for all muscle groups are quite difficult for beginners to perform. First of all, you need to prepare your muscles for such physical activity. The first few months of training should be devoted to building the muscle base - only in this case it makes sense to try to perform complex elements. For those who want to lose weight with the help of exercises on this apparatus, it should be remembered that a positive result can be achieved only by combining regular training with adherence to a proper diet.
Before directly performing exercises on the horizontal bar, it is necessary to stretch the muscles and ligaments for 2-3 minutes while hanging on the bar. Such stretching not only prepares the body for performing the elements, but also helps to improve the condition of the intervertebral discs and is the prevention of spinal diseases.
Exercises on the horizontal bar for all muscle groups
Doing exercises on the bar helps to work out most of the muscle groups, namely:
- Back muscles and abs;
- Biceps;
- Hands - grip strength;
- Forearms and pectoral muscles.
So, after completing a short warm-up, you can start directly performing the exercises on the horizontal bar. The main exercise for getting the biceps and forearms loaded is the pull-up. To work out the biceps, pull-ups must be performed with the hands turned inward towards the face (reverse grip). If you want to increase the load on the biceps, the arms should be placed as narrow as possible during pull-ups (maximum shoulder-width apart). In order for the load to be maximum on the muscles of the forearms, the arms should be in a straight grip during pull-ups.
The posterior deltoid muscle and hands are stressed when doing any kind of pull-up. The hands are subject to stress from the grip, which means that to strengthen the wrist joints and increase the grip strength, it is enough to statically hang on the horizontal bar.
In order to pump the muscles of the press, it is necessary to perform lifts of bent or straight legs, hanging on a horizontal bar. This exercise is quite difficult to perform on the bar, since there is no back support on it. Technically, it is very difficult to perform this exercise on the horizontal bar, especially for beginners. You need to raise your legs quickly, but lower them slowly. It is important to ensure that the legs and torso do not swing, otherwise the load on the abdominal muscles will be insufficient.
For those who want to simultaneously use all muscle groups with the help of a crossbar, there is an exercise - lifting with a turn. This is a rather difficult exercise to perform and requires good physical fitness. After a short warm-up, it is enough to perform 4-5 blocks of 15 repetitions of this exercise on the horizontal bar in order to pump the muscles of the whole body and form an athletic figure.
The lifting is performed with a turn from the hanging position, the hands are located in any grip convenient for the performer. Having fixed the arms on the crossbar, a pull-up is performed, after which the legs rise forward and up to a level higher than the horizontal bar. Then, using body weight and swinging movements of the body, turn back.
Exercises on the horizontal bar for the back
The most effective exercise on the horizontal bar with which you can quickly pump up your back muscles is pulling up with a wide grip to the chest. This exercise is quite difficult to do correctly, especially for beginners. It is performed as follows:
Starting position - hands at the widest possible distance on the bar, so that at the top of the movement, the forearms are perpendicular to the horizontal bar. The legs are bent at the knees, or straight. During the pull-up, the elbows should move towards the lower back, if they move backward, the load will decrease. The shoulder blades are brought together as much as physiologically possible, the biceps must be relaxed. A pull-up is performed, reaching the top point with the chest (you do not need to touch the crossbar with it), you need to bend your back, linger a little in this position and slowly lower yourself down. When moving up, exhale, down - inhale
The wider the arms are placed during exercises on the horizontal bar for the back, the greater the load on the lats, trapezius and deltoid muscles. You can increase the load on the back by doing pull-ups behind the head, however, during this exercise, the shoulder joints are subjected to a strong load, which can negatively affect their condition.
The simplest back exercise is to pull up with a medium straight grip. It is quite effective, suitable for both professionals and beginners. The pull-up is performed with an average straight grip as follows:
Starting position - hands on the horizontal bar in a straight grip shoulder width apart. Pull up slowly until your upper chest touches the bar and your shoulder blades are drawn together. Then you need to go down until your arms are fully extended and hang a little in this position
Exercises on the horizontal bar for the pectoral muscles
The best pectoral bar exercise is a tight grip pull-up. This is the simplest type of pull-up, but it is in this position that the pectoral muscles are best used. The main thing is to do it correctly, otherwise the result will be long in coming. It is important not to allow sudden jerks up and not to fall with all the weight of the body when lowering the body down.
An ideal pull-up is considered when the time taken to climb is equal to the time taken to descend. When lifting, inhale, when lowering, exhale. It is important to breathe through your nose and control your breathing so that it does not go astray.
Of course, it is much easier to perform a sharp jerk and, due to it, rise up, but in this position the pectoral muscles will not be involved. Beginners should pay attention to the quality of the exercise, not the number of repetitions. When the technique of performing such an exercise on a horizontal bar for the pectoral muscles is mastered, you can gradually increase the number of repetitions and, due to additional weighting materials, increase the load.
An equally effective exercise on the horizontal bar for the chest muscles is to pull the knees up to the shoulders. It is performed as follows: starting position - hanging on a horizontal bar, legs bent at the knees, with the right knee you need to reach the left shoulder, then with the left knee to the right.
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