Many coaches say the behind-the-neck pulldown is unsafe. It can be, if you don't know what you're doing. The problem is that lifters usually think of this as an exercise for the lats. It's not. It's a mid-back exercise.
How to Do It Right
- Contract and squeeze the rhomboids and keep that position during the entire set.
- Bring the bar down only to the back of the head, upper ear level. Do not bring it down to the neck.
- Keep some bend in the elbows at the top. Don't let the bar pull your arms straight.
This is one case where a shorter range of motion is actually safer and more effective.
related posts
The Twice a Week Training Program
In a perfect world we'd have unlimited time to train to be awesome. But what happens to that fancy training schedule when you enter the real world?
Tip: Stretch Bands Work as Well as Weights
A meta-study concludes that training with elastic bands builds strength just as well as free weights or machines. No, really.
Tip: Prevent Pec Tears with the Floor Press
The floor press prevents over-stretching at the shoulder joint and eliminates an excessively stretched pec tendon at the transition point from eccentric to concentric, thereby eliminating much of the danger-zone for pec tears.
The Big 5 of Getting Big
Sensei Dan John wallops you on the side of the head with 5 good doses of common sense to get you growing.