How to do hand reduction in a crossover. Reduction of arms - exercises in the crossover on the upper blocks: variations for the top and middle of the chest. Leading the arm to the side in the lower block

Ideally, the pectoral muscles of a bodybuilder should be like two massive plates, clearly separated from each other, with clearly defined edges.

It is impossible to achieve this with the help of basic exercises, in order to give the chest a beautiful relief, you need to include in your training program also insulating.

This can be the reduction of hands in a crossover. This is an isolation chest exercise that is practically useless for gaining weight. muscle mass, however, allows you to improve the shape of the pectoral muscles.

Thanks to him, they will become clearly expressed, take on outlined forms, and their aesthetics will improve. First of all, advanced level athletes need to include hand information in a crossover in their program. Beginners should first build chest volume with basic exercises such as bench presses and bench presses. incline bench.

What muscles work

When performing the exercise, the main work is performed by the large and small pectoral muscles. In addition, while working in a crossover, the anterior serratus muscle and the anterior delta bundle receive an additional load. At correct technique triceps are turned off from work.

Exercise options

The exercise can be performed with blocks located at different heights. They can be at chest level, above or below it.

In the first case, the pectoral muscles are fully loaded with work, while the emphasis is on their middle part. With the lower arrangement of the blocks, the main part of the load is assumed by the top of the chest, and with the upper one, the bottom.

It is the latter option that is the main one when performing this exercise. Along with such a reduction of arms in a crossover, it is worth including the reduction of arms to work out the chest in a sitting simulator in the training program.

When working in it, the entire chest is involved, but the main emphasis is on its inner part, which allows you to clearly separate the left and right halves. These two exercises complement each other well.

Execution technique

• Take a starting position: grab the handles and pull them towards you, lean forward slightly, your gaze should be directed forward.
• As you exhale, gently bring your hands together, bringing them close to each other.
• On an inhale, slowly return to the starting position.

Find the optimal location of the legs and body: your pectoral muscles in the starting position should feel a slight load, while it is necessary that the elbows are slightly behind the body. Move back and forth to find the best position.

There are different opinions about how the legs should be positioned. Most practitioners believe that they should be spread, putting one forward and the other back. In this position, it is easier to maintain balance.

However, the load is a little asymmetrical: either the right or left half of the body does most of the work. In order to avoid this, the legs can be placed at the same level.

If you, like most athletes, choose a non-parallel stance, periodically change their places, bringing the right foot forward, then the left foot.

When performing hand information in a crossover, the pectoral muscles are under load throughout the entire range of motion. In this way, this exercise compares favorably with the information of the hands with free weights, which are performed lying on the bench: in this case, when the weights are at the top point, a significant part of the load passes to the hands.

In order to achieve best results from working the pectoral muscles in the crossover, make a peak contraction, lingering for one or two counts in a position in which the hands are almost close to each other.

Common mistakes

You do not need to bend and unbend your elbows, they must be fixed. Make sure that flexion occurs exclusively in the shoulder joints. The body must also be kept still. At the same time, the arms should be almost straight - many bend them at the elbows at an angle of almost 90 degrees, but this is wrong.

Also make sure that your hands move in the same plane parallel to each other, the hands should not walk from side to side during the execution of information. Another common mistake is bringing the hands together due to inertia, when at the very beginning of the positive phase of the movement, the athlete makes a jerk. Thus, it is easier to cope with more weight, but this is wrong.

If you can't mix with the right technique, reduce the load.

The information of the hands in the crossover is described in the book by Dmitry Murzin “Arnold Schwarzenegger. Signature Exercises ”, which can be an interesting and useful read for every bodybuilder.

Iron Arnie devoted a lot of time to the implementation of such information, noting that they not only contribute to the creation of delineated contours of the pectoral muscles: thanks to the inclusion of this exercise in his training program, the chest begins to “cut”, that is, there is a pronounced separation of the pectoral muscles into bundles, and it looks very effectively.

It's a crossover! It can safely be called gym in the gym! In fact, this machine allows you to train any muscle group and perform isolation exercises. In the crossover, you can train the muscles of the legs, arms, back, chest, as well as the abs and deltoids! Moreover, there are more than a dozen such exercises! This is an excellent training multifunctional base that is equally capable of developing the body of men and women.

Advantages and features of the crossover simulator

This trainer has everything. two controversial flaws.

1. The first and very controversial one is its modest stock of weight plates, usually the simulator has a stock of up to 100 kg. Some athletes use dumbbells to increase the load, however, this is not safe when increasing the working weight. Basically, for most people gym the reserve of plates is quite enough. The simulator is designed for maximum muscle development and serves as an additional load to, which are performed with free weights.
2. The second, also very controversial drawback is the inability to train with combined weights. But as already mentioned, this machine is a great addition to training with free weights for athletes of any level.

But virtues this trainer has a lot:

1. This type of exercise as traction can be performed in different ways.
2. Blocks can be pulled while standing, sitting, using a bench, and even kneeling. Each way of performing exercises allows you to work out the muscles to varying degrees. Each version of the same exercise can have different effectiveness.
3. Crossover work can replace many exercises on various simulators.
4. The crossover gives the muscles a clearer outline and a better shape.
5. Also, an indisputable advantage of this simulator can be considered constant muscle tension during exercise.
6. When performing many exercises, they are involved, which is a definite plus.
7. The design of the crossover allows you to stretch the muscles as efficiently as possible, which supplies them with blood and oxygen.
8. Crossover allows you to perform different exercises on the same muscle group. You can perform exercises at different angles, set the cable lower or higher, selecting the required amplitude.

Another advantage of using a crossover is the installation, as well as the use of a block to improve snatching technique. For example, American football players do short sprints from standstill with the help of a lower pulley and a belt with a carabiner. Yes, such an exercise cannot be called ordinary or traditional for this simulator, but, nevertheless, it allows you to develop other athletic qualities.

Top 20 Crossover Exercises

1. Reduction of hands while standing

This crossover exercise is highly effective for working out the pectoral muscles. Technique works well on the bottom chest muscle and its inner part. By moving the body and changing the vector of movement of the hands, you can change the emphasis on other parts of the pectoral muscles.

2. Pullover in a crossover

This exercise forms and. But this exercise is secondary and is performed for maximum load and stretching of the chest muscles. Usually performed at the end of a set of exercises.

3. Horizontal block pull

This exercise is performed while sitting and is aimed at forming the muscles of the back, namely latissimus dorsi. This exercise in a crossover eliminates a dangerous load on the back, or rather the spine and, in particular, on lumbar.

4. Lowering straight arms from the upper block while standing

The exercise is designed to strengthen the back. The lowering of the arms should be performed only due to the efforts of the back muscles, bending the elbows and helping the muscles of the shoulder should not be allowed. This exercise requires a straight handle. It is important to keep your back straight.

5. French press on the lower block

This is a highly effective exercise that allows you to concentrate on triceps while lying on a bench. For a qualitative study of a separate bundle of the triceps muscle of the shoulder, you can perform various options exercises using different positions of the brushes.

6. Adducting the legs in a crossover

Allows you to tighten the adductor surface of the thigh. To do this, a special belt for fixing the lower leg is fastened to the lower block using a carabiner.

7. Retracting the leg in the crossover back

The exercise is performed in the lower crossover block to work out the buttocks and hamstrings. This exercise can be performed with an emphasis on the bench and while standing.

Leg abduction while standing in a crossover

8. Extension of the arms on the upper block while standing with a reverse grip

The exercise effectively works out the lateral head of the triceps muscle of the shoulder and forearm. The disadvantage of the technique lies in the heavy load on thumbs hands

9. Extension of the arms from the upper block

This exercise can be called the most effective for training triceps in a crossover. This exercise allows you to work out all the heads of the muscle, and the emphasis on a specific beam is carried out using various hand positions on the handle bar (medium, narrow or vertical grip). Also, the exercise can be performed using a rope handle. This method allows you to train the lateral part of the muscle. This exercise gives the triceps excellent shape.

10. Bending the arms from the lower block

This exercise can be done different ways. You can attach a crossbar handle to the cable and adjust the grip in width, and you can also perform an exercise with a rope handle, with this type of handle you can train the biceps as concentrated as possible separately. Bending vertical or neutral grip are a great alternative to dumbbell curls.

11. Traction from the lower block for the deltoid muscles while standing

Exercise is a great alternative. This crossover exercise effectively works out and. To perform it, you need to grab a straight handle narrow grip, come closer to the block and raise the handle to the chin, aiming with the elbows to the ceiling.

12. Pull-ups with different palm positions

The simulator is equipped with a crossbar, with which you can train the muscles of the back and biceps, performing exercises with own weight body.

13. Leading the arm to the side in the lower block

This exercise is designed to train the middle part of the deltoid muscle and is an alternative exercise. This exercise can be performed by fixing the position, holding a special handrail with your free hand, which will give better concentration and stability.

14. Cross assignments of the upper blocks with two hands

The exercise forms the outlines of the rear beams deltoid muscles. Handles are not needed for this exercise. It is necessary to stand in the center, then with one hand you need to grab the edge of the upper block opposite to the hand, and with the other hand, respectively, the edge of the second block. When performing, it is important to bend back a little so that with cross leads to the sides, the arms work in full amplitude.

15. Reduction of the lower blocks lying down

Chest exercise is performed on a horizontal bench using a crossover, as well as on a bench at an angle of 30 and 45 degrees. With two hands, you need to clasp the lower blocks of the crossover for special handles.

16. Abduction of arms in an inclination to the rear delta

The exercise is performed in the lower block with one hand in an incline. In this case, it is necessary to become sideways to the crossover block, grab the handle with one hand and raise your hand to the side, performing a swing due to the rear delta.

18. Front swings from the lower block with two hands

It is carried out with a straight or rope handle. It is necessary to turn around with your back to the crossover block, place the cable between your legs and swing with straight arms forward.

19. Extension of the arms from behind the head from the lower block

Can be done with a rope or a straight handle. It is necessary to turn around with your back to the block and place your hands above your head, while maintaining a slight forward lean.

Knee variant

Conclusion

Crossover is a professional multifunctional and versatile device for all muscles. Of course, you should not make up the entire program from exercises performed on a crossover. Despite all the advantages of the machine, do not forget that the program should consist mostly of basic exercises with free weights, the rest - on machines.

Crossover exercise through the lower blocks, pumps the upper part and inner edge of the chest, front deltas. Gives shape and "banding" to the top of the pectoral muscles. isolation exercise.

Crossover through the bottom blocks purposefully loads the upper chest and is used in order to achieve a distinct separation of the left and right pectoralis major muscles both from the deltas and from each other in the center of the body, as well as to develop muscle separation of the upper chest.

Regularly practicing information in the crossover through the lower blocks, you will make your side kicks more powerful from top to bottom in boxing or martial arts, you will become much more confident in playing near the net in tennis, you will be more dexterous in grabbing the opponent and holding him tighter in the fight, throwing the ball more strongly in handball and, finally, improve the quality of your program on the rings and on the carpet in gymnastics.

1. Attach the D-Handles to the crossover cables through the top pulleys and grasp them with an overhand grip. Stand exactly in the middle between the legs of the crossover and take a small step forward with one foot. This will give the body a more stable position.

2. Slightly bend your knees and tilt your torso forward 10-20°. Slightly bend your elbows and lock the elbow joint in this position until the end of the set.

3. Take a deep breath and, holding your breath, bring the handles in front of your stomach, just below your chest. At the top point of the handle should touch each other or cross.

4. Pause, exhale and slowly return to the starting position.

5. Throughout the set, the torso, legs, elbows and wrists are fixed. All movement occurs exclusively in the shoulder joint.

Tips: Information in the crossover through the lower blocks

1. Be sure to hold your breath while bringing your hands together. This makes it easier to keep the torso stationary and concentrate on contracting the chest muscles. When you exhale, return to the starting position, in no case do not relax the muscles. Actively resist the weight and spread your arms in the same trajectory as you brought them together.

2. Do not perform the exercise on fully extended arms, otherwise you will injure the elbow joints.

3. The higher and closer you bring your hands together, the stronger it contracts. top part pectoralis major muscle, especially its inner edge in the region of the collarbone.

4. Be sure to bring your hands together or cross them in front of your torso. This ensures that you fully engage the serratus anterior and pectoralis minor muscles.

5. Do not bend your elbows or tilt your body forward as you bring the handles together.

6. To bring out all the details of the pectoralis major muscle and a distinct separation of the muscles of the left and right sides of the body, alternate the crossover through the lower blocks with the crossover through the upper blocks. The latter option focuses the load on the middle and lower parts of the chest, especially on its inner edges.

Good afternoon, kachata! In this article, we will touch on another isolated exercise for the chest, analyze all the subtleties, find out the mistakes and execution technique.

General information.

Everyone is used to hearing about basic exercises barbell bench press or dumbbell press, I don’t argue, these exercises are the basis for our pectorals, but there is an excellent exercise for working out the muscles - bringing the hands together in a crossover, there is also butterfly exercise, but that's a completely different story.

Basic exercises will not be able to detail your chest, although they are capable of a lot, but even high repetitions will not be able to touch those distant bundles that we need so much.

Muscular anatomy.

This movement is somewhat reminiscent of the flapping of the wings of birds, while bringing the hands into lowest point the entire load is concentrated in the pectoral muscles, only the shoulder joint is included in the work, the triceps are completely turned off. Involved in the work for the most part Bottom part breasts, but this does not mean that the middle and upper parts are turned off from work, no, they do more work of assistants than a key group. The stabilizer muscles will be the forearms and core muscles.

Crossover exercise - pluses:

Lack of support.

The most important advantage of block exercises is that the body is held by our core muscles - stabilizers. This helps relieve back muscles.

The trajectory of movement allows our pectoral muscles to be in constant tension, which has a very beneficial effect on breast growth. The load remains as in the upper part with the arms apart, but in the lower part the load naturally increases.

Stretching.

Crossover allows not only to injure our muscle fibers, but also to stretch them. As you know, growth muscle fibers goes much better physical activity with stretch. This also allows you to better fill the muscles with blood and saturate with oxygen.

Relief work.

The crossover gives expressiveness to your chest. But do not be misled that isolated exercises will help you achieve “dryness” or, the same concept as “almonds”, this magic and relief depends only on the amount of your body fat, and not on isolated exercises.

Reducing the load on the deltas.

Do not forget that crossovers reduce the load on the shoulders and transfer it to a different plane, not the one in the presses.

Execution technique.

In fact, everything is quite simple, but nevertheless there are some nuances that I will now explain to you.

There are only two phases.

№1

We approach the simulator and set the weight we need, we always start with a smaller one. We take both handles in our hands, take the starting position in the center of the block, take a half step forward with one foot (it should turn out to be a small stretch) and become stable. We slightly tilt the body forward, the arms are spread apart to a slight tension of the pectoral muscles, the arms at the elbow are slightly bent. This is where we took our starting position. Now you should take a breath.

№2

Now we exhale smoothly and begin to bring our hands to the center of the body, the movement should resemble a semicircle. We keep our back straight, but the body is slightly tilted forward, for stability, this position of the body should be kept throughout the entire movement. When bringing the hands together, we further contract and tighten the pectoral muscles, this will better fill our chest with blood. Now slowly return to the starting position. We do 4 sets of 12 - 15 times.

Mistakes.

• Too, the arms are bent at the elbow joint, but should be slightly.
• The elbows are pressed against the body, which should not be.
• Rounded back, do not do this, you give a negative load on the lower back.

Tips for doing the crossover exercise.

• Weight does not play a major role in this exercise, more important is the technique and additional tension of the pectoral muscles at the bottom point.
• The movement should resemble a semicircle.
• We do everything slowly and smoothly, without jerks.
• We follow the synchronous movement of the hands.

Secrets for the best slaughter of pectorals.

No. 1. Pushups + crossover.

We perform two exercises - one after the other without rest, we rest only after two approaches in a row. To begin with, we do 20 push-ups from the floor, after which immediately 10-12 hand information in the crossover, about 3 approaches in total. But it is worth noting that the weight of the information will be much less than usual.

No. 2 Reduction of hands lying at an angle.

The reduction of the hands in the crossover is an isolating exercise on the lower chest, which works out the accentuated lower chest. Those who want to have a beautiful "separation" of the pectoral muscle from the press should do it at the end of the workout. Mixing in a crossover can be done both with the upper mount of the block system, and with the lower mount to engage the muscles from different angles. The movement is sometimes replaced by work in loops or with rubber, but for the classic "builder" undercut of the pectoral muscle, this movement is considered indispensable. The exercise is available to both beginners and professionals, and can be performed by both men and women.

It is important to determine the location of the attachment of the handles. Tall athletes can fasten the block system to the uppermost latch, with average height it makes sense to lower it so that at the top point of the spread of the arms the shoulders do not lock in an uncomfortable position, and the athlete does not lose control of the muscles of the core and chest. If during the movement the athlete “throws up”, he has chosen the wrong height of the latch.

The handles are curved or D-shaped. If there are no such handles in the hall, you can put on two round clamps, and perform the movement with a slight resistance by gripping the round clamps.

Taking the starting position, it is important not to get injured. First, they grab one handle and bring it to the belt, then the second, after which you need to position the body in the center of the crossover so that the cables are stretched equally. A stable stand "in scissors" is allowed, or on two legs in an inclination, it does not matter.

The exercise is bringing your hands together in front of you, at waist level. During work, you should consciously strain the muscles of the chest, and do not relax them for as long as possible, spreading your arms to the sides towards the block mechanisms.

All repetitions must be performed in the same manner so that the athlete does not change the trajectory of movement. The deepening of the inclination of the back is not allowed. It is often written that it should be strictly at 45 degrees, but this is not so, the depth of the slope is determined by the anatomical features of the athlete, and cannot be deeper than 45 degrees. A straight vertical stand is also not allowed. Otherwise, options are possible that will allow the athlete to work out the muscles more efficiently.

There are technical points that are best avoided:

• Corpus cheating. You are not in the Plush Beard video, avoid swings as they can hurt shoulder joints, even if the athlete during the swing does not feel pain and discomfort;
• Active hand pushes. Bodybuilding differs from weightlifting in that it loves controlled exercise. By pushing weight, we can lift more, but the purpose of the movement is not to set a gym record for block machines.
• "Running" around the perimeter with your feet. It is worth standing up once so that the position of the body is strong, and not changing it, as “jogging” can cause loss of shoulder stability and cause injury;
• Head nods. It is unpleasant when the neck jams during the exercise. And even more frustrating when this "beautiful" feeling is accompanied by a shoulder injury. Therefore, excessive tension of the trapezoid and nodding must be excluded. If you need to nod your head at all costs, the weight is chosen incorrectly, it is too large. Again, the weight must be selected so that there is no need to make additional and unnecessary movements of the body and head.
• Breakdown at the start. A jerk with the hands can cause injury to both the shoulder and elbow joints;
• Rigidly "inserted" elbows at the start of the movement. It can cause overstretching of the ligaments elbow joint and cause injury
• Constantly putting forward the same foot can lead to imbalances in the hip joint.

Implementation options

The exercise resembles the well-known “wiring” with dumbbells, only instead of dumbbells, crossover handles are taken in hand. The cables are attached to the lower part of the attachment sector so that the athlete's hands do not "twist" when taking the starting position. The bench can be horizontal or inclined, it is not of fundamental importance. It is believed that chests work more on an incline bench, but this is subjective and depends on the physique.

The bench is located strictly in the center, the athlete lies down on it, the assistant gives the handles to the level of the center of the chest. Further, the movement resembles the usual “wiring” with dumbbells, the arms go to the sides, and come down to the center at the level of the middle of the chest. It is not necessary to allow an unnaturally large amplitude so as not to dislocate the shoulder joint.

Actually, they resemble the variant with the leg, only you need to stand up straight, and do not put your legs in the leg. The body leans forward, the handles are lowered down, the pectoral muscles are strained, the work is due to the contraction of the chest.

This movement requires a little more work from the front deltoid. You need to perform the exercise by attaching the handles to the bottom of the crossover. Then the athlete takes a step forward and brings the handles to chest level. This is followed by mechanical reduction of the handles at the level of the middle of the chest. The pectoral muscles contract at the point of maximum tension.

Analysis of the exercise

Anatomy of exercise - which muscles work

The main target group is the lower bundle of the pectoral muscle. How the stabilizers work the muscles of the back and the cortex, help the movement of the front deltas, serratus muscles, and pectoralis minor.

pros

This is a completely isolating exercise. It does not allow you to include triceps in the work, which means it is suitable for those who bench press a lot and consider the bench press their priority. The movement allows you to work out the chest without much load on the stabilizers and biceps, allows you to take a greater amplitude, stretch the muscles so as to reduce them as much as possible. The exercise is quite variable to avoid increased stress on the elbows, shoulders, biceps. It helps to work out the muscle along its entire length and allows you not to exclude the lower chest bundle from work.

Minuses:

• Not all halls are equipped with a crossover, and there is not always access to it. This is a popular car, it can be constantly busy during rush hour;
• Movement cannot help build muscle if only movement is performed. Basic exercises needed in addition to crossover work

Usually, the crossover is not the first movement in a workout, and is not used as an exercise to pre-fatigue the chest muscles. Training starts from the base, and only at the end does the athlete come to block simulator to work out the bottom of the chest.

It means that joint warm-up not needed, it is enough to perform a couple of approaches with a small weight.

• Single-joint exercise - work is only in the shoulder joint;
• Cheating and body swings are excluded;
• Elbows in the upper phase should not be pulled up to the ears, they are in the plane of the shoulder;
• The muscles must be consciously strained, as if “bringing” the weight to the desired position;
• You can not throw your head back, look at the ceiling, you should relax your neck and look forward;
• It is necessary to use a stable position of the body, best of all - a rack in scissors;
• Work takes place along an elliptical or arcuate trajectory. “Throwing your arms”, bending them at the elbows, should not be;
• The reduction is carried out approximately at the level of the waist;
• It can be assumed that the athlete uses a small weight, but it is impossible - pushes and jerks along the trajectory, and relaxed hands when lowering the weight;
• We must try to consciously exclude the work of the muscles of the trapezoid

Muscle contraction is performed on exhalation, exhalation on effort is the basic rule when performing strength exercises.

Mistakes

• “Different” movements, when the athlete in the first repetition bends his arms at the elbows, in the second - changes the position of the body, and leads the weight in different ways;
• Mahi body, helping in working with weight;
• Throwing weight;
• Relaxed and rounded back;
• "Inserted" straight elbows

Most often, bodybuilders are advised to consciously reduce the chest at the lowest point. This can be achieved through a small isometry, and this, in turn, by slightly turning the palms towards each other at the bottom of the exercise.

You can achieve maximum isolation, and completely eliminate cheating, if you kneel. This variant of the starting position will allow the athlete to completely eliminate body swings.

If you want to shift the focus to the top of the chest, you need to bring your hands higher. This can be achieved both by changing the angle of inclination of the body, and by changing the mount.

If you work "crosswise", winding one hand after the other in the lower part of the amplitude, then you can achieve a strong muscle contraction without changing the amplitude.

Inclusion in the program

This exercise can be the only one on the chest, only if we are talking about training a woman with breast implants. All other lifters should perform the movement at the end of their workout, after basic and other isolation exercises.

Usually performed in the mode of 12-15 repetitions in 3-4 sets, and the warm-up is not considered work. The exercise is not performed with a lot of weight, so the rest can be quite short, about a minute between sets.

Contraindications

The only contraindication to this exercise is an unhealed tear or tear of the pectoral muscle. In all other cases, you can accurately perform the information. If there is an injury to the rotator cuff, it may be necessary for some time to completely eliminate the load on the chest, including work in the crossover.

How to replace the reduction of hands in a crossover

From the point of view of biomechanics, a complete replacement is the reduction of hands with rubber expanders. But from the point of view of muscle work, this is an incomplete replacement, since expanders give resistance differently than blocks. They allow you to contract the muscles more strongly at the peak point, but give you the opportunity to relax on lowering the weight.

Crossover mixing is a classic bodybuilding exercise, and every athlete should do it right.