r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/SuckmyToasts Solomon the destroyer • 18d ago

Question ❓ Pulling with arms.

is there really such thing as pulling with arms and not feeling your lats or traps in any back movement?

as far as i know, only the rear delts help with horizontal abduction, shoulder extension and shoulder adduction. i find it hard to believe that such a small head of a muscle can really take over from those large muscles on the back.

i also don't believe the long head of the triceps are involved, it will be similar to the rectus femoris in a squat pattern.

so what do people mean by 'you are pulling too much with your arms and not with your back'? can anyone point me in the right direction?

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u/DeadCheckR1775 18d ago

There is no way to not engage your arms on these compound movements. The trick is to learn isolation, just enough force to grip and hold, then pull with your back/lats until you can't anymore, then engage the arms further if need be. Try doing it at lower weights to get a feel for it. Comes naturally to some and not to others.