More recently we talked about negative pull-ups, one of the varieties of the popular exercise. But did you know that, in addition to many types of pull-ups, there are also special machines where you can perform them? Today we will see in detail what a gravitron is and how to use it correctly.
World class fitness trainer
“The Gravitron is a machine with a counterweight system in which a person can independently set the desired weight according to his physical capabilities and perform pull-ups with a weight less than his own weight.”
Read about how to quickly learn to do pull-ups from scratch here:
Video
How to quickly learn to do horizontal bar pull-ups from scratch. 3 preparatory exercises
Who needs a gravitron and why?
Gravitron can intelligently adapt to anyone’s physical level. We are already used to this, because in almost any simulator you can set the appropriate weight, but not in the case of pull-ups. A similar story can be repeated with fitness bands. If you place an elastic band on the horizontal bar, stand on it with your feet and begin to rise, the exercise will be easier or more difficult depending on the resistance of the projectile.
Therefore, the gravitron can be considered a preliminary and preparatory stage for the transition to pull-ups with your own weight on the bar or considered as a tool for more specific and controlled work with the goal of hypertrophy. It is also ideal for girls, beginners or people with excess body weight who cannot get up from the bar.
Most often, a gravitron looks like a symbiosis of a horizontal bar and bars connected by an iron structure. The exercise machine also features a retractable platform that you kneel on while performing the exercise. For everything to go well, first place one foot on the platform, then grab the bar or handles and only then place the other so as not to lose your balance.
Photo: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / skodonnell
How to do pull-ups in a gravitron?
With the correct technique, the necessary muscles are perfectly activated, receive a better load and are pumped faster. Plus, by learning all the moves, you will protect yourself from injuries.
Pull-ups in the gravitron
Execution technique
Starting position: hanging from the bar, knees on the platform of the simulator. Back straight, grip slightly wider than the shoulder joints (determined by the end point of the range). As you exhale, lean back 10-15 degrees and pull back. up to chin level. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Start the movement by lowering and adducting the shoulder blades. At the end point, the width of the forearms should be perpendicular to the floor, the elbow joints should be in the plane of the sternum. Control the correct curves of the spine.
Don’t forget to warm up. Activate your central nervous system, you will allow your body to understand that now there will be a workout and you need to connect hidden reserves. Not only will it improve your reaction and balance, but it will even increase your physical strength and increase your heart rate. Your body temperature will increase, all tendons and ligaments will become more elastic, which means you will be more flexible and the risk of injury will significantly decrease.
Spend at least 15 minutes warming up and follow the rule: the longer the workout lasts, the longer the warm-up should be. If the workload is significant, preparation must be adequate.
Photo: istockphoto.com / Sergey Nazarov
What muscles work?
Pull-ups on the gravitron involve the deltoid, triceps, and biceps brachii muscles, as well as the trapezius, rhomboid, and latissimus dorsi muscles. Let’s talk a little about the simulator itself in which you will perform the exercise.
Boris Ilyin: “There are two types of gravitrons: with the knees placed on a support platform and with the feet placed on the supports at full height. “There is no difference in terms of engaging the target muscles in the work.”
Here everyone chooses the option that is most comfortable for them. First, set a weight that suits your needs. For beginners, this is usually 80% of your own body weight. Then position your feet as you wish: kneeling or standing. Grab the bar with your hands and straighten your back. And that’s it, you can start the exercise.
Photo: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / Vyacheslav Dumchev
Progression and variations of the exercise.
The emphasis of the load can be changed by using different grips. First, decide: supinated or pronated? The first is when the fists are turned towards you, it is a little easier than the second, because the load falls mainly on the muscles of the arm. And an overhand grip is the most classic grip; It involves more of your back, so it’s harder to get up with it.
Don’t forget that you can also adjust the distance between your hands when gripping. Narrow grip, shoulder width, wide – choose the one you like best. The first will help stimulate the muscles of the arms, the second, the muscles of the back and the flexor muscles of the forearms. And the third, which is logical, focuses mainly on the back.
As for progression, everything is obvious. The very essence of pull-ups in the gravitron is that you can adjust the load, make the approaches easier or more difficult. Start with the minimum load, setting the appropriate weight and gradually reduce it. The compensation plates level the body weight and make pull-ups easier. If you reduce the offset, you will get closer to bodyweight pull-ups.
Photo: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/Antonio_Diaz
The progression consists of a progressive reduction in the weight of the compensation plates, bringing us closer to the classic horizontal bar pull-ups.
But remember that you always need to stop in time. Because your muscles gradually become “clogged.” You may not immediately feel how you have depleted your resources. And then the muscles will hurt a lot. That is why it is so important to know your capabilities and evaluate them correctly. Increase the load little by little, or better yet, coordinate your training plan with a physical trainer so they can tell you where to increase, where to decrease, and which exercises are best not to do at all.
Read about how an expander can help with pull-ups here:
How to learn to do pull-ups? A projectile will help you quickly and easily master the horizontal bar.
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