“Parallel bar flexion and extension” is one of the basic movements of freehand training, and the difficulty of the movement is second only to the pull-up.
It is a compound movement, which can strengthen the chest muscles, arms, shoulders and core muscles, and strong masters can increase the weight training.
If you look closely, you will see that some people will stretch their legs forward and others will bend their legs back.
So which of these two methods has better training effect? Which way should you choose to train?
1. The difference between straightening the legs forward and bending the knees backwards
Actually both training methods can be practiced, but there will be some differences in the details of the movements.
①Straight legs forward
You need to straighten your legs and raise them slightly, At the same time, maintain a slightly chest-enclosed position, and open both arms outwards as you bend your arms down.
②Bend your legs back and knees
You need to bend your knees and both calves back Cross the hook, always maintain a forward lean and straight back position, and do not overextend your arms on both sides.
2. Which way is better for training?
The normal way to do a parallel bar dip is to bend your knees back, and an improved version with your legs straight.
In terms of training difficulty, it is relatively easier to straighten your legs forward.
Through the method of arm abduction, the problem of more stress on the triceps and shoulders is solved , while reducing the body tilt, and when the flexion is pressed down to the low position, it can stimulate the lower pecs more.
From a training point of view, the overall effect of bending the knees back is better.
With the back straight and the body leaning forward, the core muscles are more involved. When you press your arms down low, you work your entire pectoral muscles while strengthening your triceps, front shoulders, and back muscles.
Overall:
The practice of straightening the legs forward, It can give more stimulation to the lower chest muscles, which can reduce the stress on the arms, shoulders and core muscles.
The practice of bending your knees back strengthens your entire chest, while also working your triceps, front shoulders, core, and upper back.
3. Which method should be chosen?
Individually, I recommend the training method of “bend the knees back”.
Mainly because:
Legs straight forward However, a certain core strength is still required. For people with high body weight who rarely practice abdominal muscles, the body will sway forward, and there is no way to use force when they descend to the bottom of the movement, or they will be exhausted when they reach the bottom.
If your arms don’t open out or have enough range of motion, there’s little to no sensation in your lower pecs.
Although the overall strength is higher when the legs are bent back, you can use elastic bands or auxiliary equipment to train. After a period of training, you can still train the lower chest muscles.
In the later stages, you can also increase the weight to train, so that the overall effect will be better.
Write at the end:
There are two ways to do parallel bar flexion and extension: stretch your legs forward Straighten and bend your knees back.
It is usually best to operate in a “bend your knees back”, with the help of elastic bands or auxiliary equipment.
In On the chest training day, you can put the parallel bar arm flexion and extension in the first exercise, mainly as a warm-up exercise. If you put it at the end of the training, you need to extend the interval time, so that you can complete the exercise more accurately.
