Exercise Video Demo :  In our first Pull Ups 101 – Training For Pull Ups Video you learned how to start engaging and strengthening the Latisimuss Dorsi and Serratus Anterior muscle groups by using a dead hang position with the pull ups bar.  In this video you’re going to learn a Super Set exercise that will help you to further develop the Lats and also to strengthen your core muscles.  You’ll be learning the Kneeling Lat PullDown and Exercise Ball Plank Extensions.

Training For Pull Ups – Kneeling Lat Pulldown

Pull ups work just about every muscle group of the upper body.  The Lats (latissimus dorsi) are a huge broad muscle group of the back that is responsible for most of the heavy lifting required for a pull up.  When you’re executing a pull up, you’re lifting your entire body weight.  If you’re not able to complete a full pull ups workout then you need to start weight training some of the key muscle groups needed to complete the full range of motion.

Kneeling Lat Pulldown

1. Grab your pull ups gloves and a mat to place on the floor. You’re going to be kneeling in front a cable machine.  Attach a straight bar to the cable, and set the pulley high enough so that your arms are almost fully extended when you reach up to grab it.

2. Grasp the bar.  Begin by pulling your shoulder blades down and as you exhale pull the bar down to your chest.

3.  Slowly raise back to the starting position without allowing your shoulder blades to move out of position.

Exercise Ball Plank Extension

1. Begin with a standard plank position on the exercise ball.  This means your weight is resting on your toes with legs fully extended behind you. Rest your upper body weight on the ball from your forearms.

2. As you exhale, roll the ball away from you as you extend your arms.

3. Pause for a second or two and roll the ball back towards your body and back to starting position.

Tips for Kneeling Lat PullDown and Ball Plank Extension Super Set

–  The Kneeling Lat Pulldown is a great alternative to the standard lat pulldown because it forces you to engage your core muscles for stability.  Because you’re not relying on the knee brace of a machine, you’re also engaging more secondary muscle groups.

–  No training for pull ups would be complete with out extensive core and ab training. People seem to forget about this.  While the Ball Plank Extension exercise works your core muscles it’s doing double duty to train those lats as well!

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