Courtesy of Joe Roark
In all types of back exercises -- whether performed with light or heavy poundages, or rounded or flat back -- one should conclude each upward movement with the body perfectly erect, the chest being lifted and the shoulders taken well back and down. This procedure will counteract any possible tendency of the exercise to produce faulty posture.
Any regular lift in which the weight, or weights, are raised from the ground upward causes the back and leg muscles (and of course the arms) to work in concert, and accordingly is of particular value as a developer of general strength.
The two hands dead lift, two hands clean (to shoulder), and two hands snatch each calls the powerful extensors of the back, hips and legs into play in a similar manner. Due to the respective poundages handled in these lifts, however, the muscles in the dead lift contract but slowly, while in the clean and snatch lifts greater speed is both possible and essential.
To avoid the physical limitations imposed by specialization, users of barbells should practice both slow and rapid lifts and exercises.
An excellent barbell movement for developing coordinately all the extensor muscles of the back, hips and legs is the first stage of the two hands snatch lift, performed repeatedly without letting the barbell touch the floor.
The commencing stance of this exercise is identical to that adopted for the two hands dead lift. As a starting poundage, use a weight that you can raise correctly from 8 to 12 times in succession.
Having assumed the commencing position, straighten up energetically, pulling the bar until it is about the height of the forehead (see photo above). Lower, until nearly touching the floor (see photo), and repeat.
When commencing, the arms are hanging straight, the legs are bent about half way, and the back is flat. In pulling the weight up, the body becomes upright, the legs straighten with snap and force, and the arms bend close, so that at the top of the pull the elbows are about on a level with the hands.
Also, at the finish the wrists should be well bent, with the hands hanging below them, as no attempt should be made to raise the bell past the height of the forehead (or to turn the hands over as in completing a "snatch").
Keep the handle of the barbell close to the body, both in raising and lowering.
As the bell goes down, the arms simply drop, becoming straight as the bell reaches the lowest point.
The essential object of this lifting exercise is TO WORK THE OPERATING MUSCLES TOGETHER.
As you pull the bell up, do not straighten first the legs, then the back, and then pull the bell the rest of the way by arm strength alone, but rather, have the legs and back straighten, the arms bend, and the shoulders raise, each to the limit of its extent, at the same instant the bar reaches the highest point in its travel.
Another fine back and leg exercise (see photo) similar in principle to the one just described, is to perform in the same manner the first stage of the one-arm "swing." A dumbbell should be employed, and loaded 5 or 10 pounds heavier on one end than on the other [off-loaded].
A weight of perhaps 40 to 60 pounds should suffice the average performed to start with.
Standing astride the dumbbell (the heavier end of which should point to the REAR), grasp the handle with one hand, close to the innermost front disc.
Then, "swing" the bell to the level of the shoulders, keeping the lifting arm straight.
Lower the bell in a pendulum-like motion between the legs (without letting it touch the floor), and repeat from 8 to 12 times.
Then do an equal number of swings using the opposite hand, after which add 5 to 10 pounds to the weight of the bell (preserving the unequal loading, or "backhang"), and work each arm 6 to 10 times, etc. until three or four sets of repetitions have been performed.
In this exercise, the action of the back and legs is exactly the same as in the two hands snatch exercise, though the arms, of course, work differently.
When swinging the bell with the right hand, the left hand should be placed on the knee for support, and vice versa.
The object in loading one end of the bell heavier than the other is to facilitate the handle being kept at right angles to the lifting arm throughout the swinging motion. It also makes easier the attaining of a rhythmic, pendulum-like motion, and this enables the performer to concentrate attention where it belongs -- on the bending and straightening together of the hips and legs.
A third exercise of the same type as the two just described is to swing together repeatedly TWO dumbbells, one in each hand, from the "hang" position all the way overhead (see photo).
The combined weight of the two dumbbells in this exercise need be little, if any, more than in the one-arm swing described previously. When swinging two dumbbells, however, it will be of advantage, where possible, to use solid dumbbells, as two plate loading bells take up too much space to swing conveniently between the legs.
Even better back work is provided by this two-dumbbell swing than by the same movement done with each arm separately, as when using two bells there is no disengaged hand from which support may be gained. This exercise, in addition to its developmental effect on the back and legs, is of especial value to the weightlifter, and it promotes the ability (strength and "timing") required in the first stage of the two hands swing and the two dumbbell clean lifts.
To provide adequate resistance for the full development of the loin muscles, the handling of additional weight to that provided by one's body is imperative. Weightlifters, taken either as a class or as selected individuals, possess the strongest backs (loins) of any athletes, also stronger backs than any class of workmen or laborers. Hence the prescription of the foregoing "weightlifter's" exercises for lower back development.
These exercises will be followed by others in Part Three.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
and stop whining about PTs, giveitaname.
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