The peculiarity of bending the arms on the upper blocks is that they need to be performed as efficiently as possible in the pumping (multi-repetitive) mode. To do this, choose a small one and perform 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions each.

Execution technique

• Go to the Crossover Trainer and attach the D-Handle to the ends of the top cables.
• Stand exactly in the middle of the machine and grab the handles reverse grip, straighten your arms.
• With a slow accentuated effort, pull the handles to the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour temples. At the moment, freeze for 1-2 seconds and slowly return to starting position.

• At the end point of the exercise, your hands should be brought to the head above the level of the ears. Completely eliminate the deviation of the brushes forward or backward. Keep your head straight and look straight ahead.
• During the exercise, keep the body motionless, do not allow it to sway.
• Eliminate reflex turns of the head towards one or the other hand.

Upper block curls are great isolated exercise for biceps. If you are tired of the same or

Greetings, dear colleagues! And today we will talk about bending the arms for biceps overhead on top block.

Wednesday on the calendar 18 October, which means it's time for a technical note on . After reading, you will learn all about the muscle atlas, the benefits and technique of performing the exercise, and we will also find out the degree of its effectiveness and the feasibility of including it in the training program.

So, take your seats in the auditorium, we begin.

Biceps overhead curl on the upper block. What, why and why?

As you know (you know, right? :)) the AB project already has a fairly extensive technical base - the most significant and used in training exercises are considered. Most of them are familiar to you firsthand, and some you have to deal with for the first time. Most likely, our today's object of study - the exercise of bending the arms for biceps above the head on the upper block, belongs to the category "what the...?", i.e. rarely used, and that's good. For the more valuable will be our material.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Muscular atlas

The exercise belongs to the class of isolated ones and aims to work out the biceps of the shoulder.

The muscle ensemble includes the following units:

• targeted - biceps;
• synergists / auxiliary - brachialis, brachioradialis.

Full muscle atlas is such a picture.

Advantages

By performing the overhead biceps curl exercise on the upper block, you can expect to receive the following benefits:

• isolated study of the biceps;
• bicep peak formation;
• the formation of the relief of the hands;
• constant presence of the target muscle in work (without switching off at the extreme points of the trajectory);
• good muscle stretch in the negative/eccentric phase;
• exclusion of the anterior delta from work (removal of the load from the frontal bundle).

Execution technique

Biceps overhead curl on the upper block is an exercise entry level difficulties. Step by step technique execution looks like this:

Step #0.

Go to the crossover machine and set the desired weight on each side of the blocks. Adjust (if the machine allows it) the height of the pulleys and make sure they are slightly above shoulder level. Taking the handles of each block in your hands, take a middle position in the simulator. The position of the arms and legs is as follows: the arms are slightly bent and parallel to the floor, and the legs are shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

Step #1.

Inhale and as you exhale slowly and under control, by contracting the biceps brachii, bring your hands to your head (until the forearms touch the biceps). On an inhale, return your forearms to the PI. Repeat the specified number of times.

In picture form, all this disgrace looks like this:

On the move like this:

Variations

In addition to the standard version of bending the arms above the head on the upper block, there are several variations of the exercise:

• bending sitting on a bench;
• alternate bending with one hand.

Secrets and subtleties

To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:

• when performing the exercise, do not move your elbows, only your forearms move;
• in a stretched position, do not straighten your arms completely;
• bring the contraction to touch the forearms of the biceps;
• carry out the extension phase slowly and under control, and the flexion phase - quickly and explosively;
• during execution, do not tilt the body forward / backward, but keep it level;
• breathing technique: exhalation - during flexion / contraction, inhalation - during extension / return to IP;
• numerical training parameters: number of sets 3 , the number of repetitions - 12-15 .

With the theoretical side finished, now let's look at some practical points.

Biceps overhead curl on the upper block - effective exercise for the biceps brachii?

Research data (American Council on Exercise, University of Wisconsin, USA, 2016 ) in terms of electrical activity among the eight most popular exercises for biceps showed the following results:

• concentrated lifting of a dumbbell for biceps - 96 ;
• reverse grip pull-ups 81 ;
• bending the arms on the upper block - 81 ;
• bar lift (EZ bar) wide grip – 75 ;
• bending the arms on the Scott bench - 68 .

Conclusion: bending the arms on the upper block is one of the best exercises to work out the heads of the biceps. In addition, unlike its "brothers", it has an important unique property - the creation of constant tension in the target region, which allows the muscle to work without shutting down at extreme points, thereby creating a better pumping effect.

How can a girl not pump her hands?

I don't want hands like a man's, how can I not pump them over? - such a question very often comes to the mail of the AB project. I must say that this is a very valid question, and here's why. For the most part, trainers in the gyms are men, and when forming an exercise scheme for girls, they “stick in” the exercises that are closest to them. Often this is barbell curls on the Scott bench.

This approach - to select male exercises for female purposes, is not entirely correct, therefore, young ladies should ask / demand from their mentors to include more isolated, block-lever exercises in the PT on their hands.

Actually, we have finished with the content part, let's summarize.

Afterword

Biceps overhead curl on the upper block is a rare, but very effective (especially for girls) exercise for working out the biceps of the shoulder. If you have never used it in your PT until now, then be sure to try it, otherwise why did we write this article :).

That's all, thanks for the pleasant company. See you soon!

PS: Do you have blocks in the hall? Do you use?

PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it in the status of your social network- plus 100 Karma points guaranteed :)

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

The overhead bicep curl is an isolating accessory exercise that can be performed at the end of a workout to finish off a target muscle group.

Muscles involved

This exercise in isolation loads:

• Biceps or biceps shoulder.
• Shoulder muscle or brachialis. It is located under the biceps and together with it is involved in bending the arms in the elbow joints.

Additionally involved:

• Shoulder muscle - runs along outside forearm.
• Round pronator.

If you do the exercise correctly, no other muscles should receive a noticeable load. Contraindications for performing flexion are injuries to the elbow joints or wrists.

Execution technique

You can work on the biceps using the resistance of the cables of the block simulator in many ways. As for the top block specifically, there are two options:

1. Bending the arms in a crossover while standing or sitting.
2. Flexion of the arms for biceps on the block lying on a horizontal bench.

standing or sitting

Crossover bicep curl looks like this:

1. Attach to the cables passing through the upper blocks, semicircular handles. Grasp the handles with a reverse grip and stand between the legs of the machine exactly in the middle. If you plan to do the exercise while sitting, place a bench between the supports and sit on it. Ideally, the blocks should be at a height of 30-40 centimeters above the level of your shoulders.
2. In the initial position, the arms are slightly bent at the elbows, tense and in the same plane with the crossover racks. Tuck the brushes slightly towards you. Keep your wrists and shoulders toned throughout the movement. When they are relaxed, it is easy to get a dislocation or sprain.
3. Tighten your biceps as much as possible and pull the handles of the cables towards you so that your brushes are at the level of your temples. You can also bend your wrists slightly. At the final point, linger for 1-2 seconds and slowly return to the starting position under control.

When performing the exercise, your arms from shoulder to elbow are in the same position parallel to the floor. By controlling your actions in such a way that the movement occurs only in the elbow joint, you will maximally load the target muscle group.

Biceps curls in a crossover are performed synchronously with both hands. At the same time, the body remains strictly in the center of the simulator and does not deviate from the plane of its racks.

Lying on a horizontal bench

Place a bench next to the block machine support.

1. Attach a straight handle to the cable passing through the upper pulley. Grasp the handle with a reverse grip and lie on the bench with your head to the rack. Brushes can be placed shoulder-width apart or narrower - the exercise is performed this way and that.
2. In the starting position, the head hangs slightly from the edge of the bench, the feet are on the floor, and the arms are slightly bent at the elbow joints. Wrists and shoulder joints while fixed, shoulders perpendicular to the floor.
3. Tighten your biceps and pull the handle towards you to the level of your forehead, bending your arms at the elbow joints. Hold at the point of maximum tension for 1-2 seconds and smoothly return to the starting position.
4. Do the required number of repetitions.

It is convenient to do bending of the arms on the block lying down because the body is in a fixed position. You can use not only the straight but also the EZ handle. To perform it, it is not necessary to have a large frame for crossovers with two racks in the hall, because only one block is used here.

Inclusion in the training program

Bending the arms to block simulator, as a rule, is placed at the end of a workout in order to reload the biceps after completing basic exercises.

The weight used is medium or small. The muscles are already quite tired from the previous exercises. It is recommended to do 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

The biceps curl on the upper block is a rather unusual exercise: you have to lie down on a bench and pull the handle from top to bottom.

We take the starting position
A bench will be needed, which should be placed next to the machine with the upper block. You should use a straight handle and lie down so that at the top point the handle is above your head. Hands should be almost perpendicular to the body (respectively, be in almost vertical position). At the same time, your feet should rest on the floor and take a stable position. You need to grab the handle so that the palms are facing the body.

Doing the exercise
If you manage to take a stable position, then during the bending of the arm for the biceps in the upper block, only the arms will work. If you have taken the correct starting position, then you only need to bend your arms as you exhale. It is necessary to unbend your arms and return to the starting position, respectively, on exhalation.

But there is an important feature that you need to pay attention to. The handle should move in a semicircle, and only the muscles of the forearms work. The shoulders should not move, the muscles of the shoulders perform an exclusively stabilizing function and are not directly involved in the movement itself.

This should be emphasized: if you do the biceps curl on the upper block incorrectly and include the shoulder muscles in the work, then the biceps will work much less than they could. Therefore, firmly fix the body and especially the shoulders, only the biceps should work.

Video "Bending the arms for biceps on the upper block":

This exercise is used by athletes when they need to slightly raise the middle of the biceps, giving it a distinct shape. It is usually performed at the end of a workout in order to finally load the muscles of the arms.

Correct technique

1. To perform this exercise, the lifter will need to attach the D-handles to both cables that run through the top pulleys of the machine. The handle should be taken with an overhand grip, that is, the palms should look up. After that, you need to stand in the middle of the racks of the simulator.
2. In the starting position, the arms are fully extended or remain slightly bent at the elbow joints. However, in any case, the hands are directed directly at the blocks. They should be in line with the cables that lift the weight from the stops on the machine.
3. While inhaling, the athlete holds his breath. The biceps are strained as much as possible, the elbows are bent and the pull of the handles to the head begins.
4. When the palms are over deltoid muscles, you need to stop for a few seconds. After that, the biceps tighten even more.
5. Exhaling, the athlete lowers the handles to the starting position. This movement is done smoothly.
6. Perform the required number of repetitions. On average, it is recommended to do 10 to 15 repetitions in 3 sets. But do not overestimate your strength.

Security

Any exercise that is performed in a crossover must necessarily be distinguished by a moderate pace. Do not pull the handles too hard or release them abruptly after reaching the top of the amplitude. This not only exhausts the muscles, but also puts a huge strain on the shoulders and elbows.

To protect yourself from unnecessary overvoltage, you need to work with a small weight. It is important to keep in mind that this exercise is not recommended for beginners. The biceps should receive a standard load for six months, and then the athlete can start traction in the crossover.

In no case should you forget about the warm-up. In this exercise, it is especially important, since the biceps must be in good shape. Otherwise, they may be injured. As a warm-up exercise, you can use lifting dumbbells or barbells.

Common Mistakes

Movement of the body during bending of the arms. Indeed, this action helps the athlete bend the arms under the action heavy weight, but why do this if part of the load goes to the back muscles? The crossover curl from the upper block is aimed at developing the biceps, so reducing the load can make this exercise less effective.

Making extra shoulder movements. This mistake primarily affects those athletes who perform for the first time this exercise. Under the action of the cables, the body begins to sway and the shoulder joints are slightly displaced. It is very important to keep them still here, as they can easily dislocate under the weight.

Uneven execution. In most people, the right and left arms are unevenly developed, so you want to pull the weight with the main hand, and the second - only a little help. In the future, this leads to the fact that the additional hand begins to lag behind, and the main one, on the contrary, develops too much. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to slightly loosen the main hand.

Alternate arm pull. Some athletes mistakenly believe that alternating arm pulls will help build biceps better. This is not entirely true, because right hand(in right-handed people) will constantly pull harder and therefore will develop better. In addition, such an exercise is fraught with curvature of the spine.

Equipment

The exercise is performed in a block simulator - a crossover. Additional equipment may require gloves and elastic bandages for wrists. Gloves increase the grip of the hands and handles, and bandages help to avoid wrist sprains. It is also very important to wear comfortable shoes, as the body must remain still on the floor while the arms are doing the curls.

1. The key to achieving maximum contraction of all working muscles is complete upper arm stability. When raising and lowering the elbows, the load from the biceps goes away, so the exercise becomes ineffective.
2. Bending both arms should occur simultaneously, at a moderate pace.
3. It is not necessary to perform the exercise with only one hand, since in this case it is very difficult to keep the torso in a level position.
4. Holding the breath helps to keep the body still, and also makes it possible to concentrate all attention on muscle contraction.
5. If the height of the blocks can be adjusted in the simulator, then they need to be installed slightly above the shoulders. This will make it possible to perform the exercise at the optimal amplitude. If the blocks are too high, then it will contract, and the biceps will receive less stress.
6. No need to relax the brushes. They are always in tension to avoid injury.

The wrists can be slightly bent as the hands begin to approach the top point. This will increase the load on the forearms, which will favorably affect the contractions of the biceps.

Conclusion

Bending the arms from the upper block in the crossover refers to difficult exercises to work out the biceps, which are performed by professional athletes. Beginners should not do this exercise, as their muscles are not ready enough to receive a serious load. The crossover creates a lot of resistance, so the muscles must be in good shape.