A couple of PUB questions

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
Lat pullovers: No matter how heavy I go on these, I don't really feel anything working. It feels more like a pleasant stretch to me. Am I doing something wrong?

Seated delt flys: I think that's what they are called. I can't figure out if the gang is going mostly up or mostly back. I really think my form is off. Any pointers?

Thanks folks!
 
Hi Nancy, I'll try to help you out with the lat pullovers. I love those. Imagine you're pulling a rope up out of the floor. Picture your back muscles, actually contract them before you start to lift. Control the weight as you're going back and up. Keep your lower back flat. I really have to focus on the lats when I do these but when you do, you can really feel it.
On the delt flys, I do mine standing instead of sitting. I think they're going up and maybe slightly back, but not too far back. When I'm standing, I'm tilted about 45 degrees, elbows bent, going just to the side. How are you doing your flyes or how is your form off?
 
I love the lat pullovers, too. One thing I've noticed though, is that your back is a very large and strong muscle. You might need to experiment with a heavier weight than you have been using in order to feel it and really put some effort into it. Sometime before you do PUB again, I would experiment (after you're warmed up!) with heavier weights. Use whatever you normally use for your heaviest and then see if you can do the next increment.
 
My heaviest dumbbells are 15 lbs., which I guess just isn't enough for this exercise. Since the elevator in my apartment building is going to be replaced during the next two months, I won't be able to order new dumbbells until September unless I'm willing to carry them up 5 flights. Come to think of it, I wonder if I'll be able to hold the ends of the 20 lb. dumbbell in my little hands? I can barely hold the 15 lb. Maybe I should try using plates instead?
 
Nancy, if you have 10lb. dumbbells, try using both of them, hold them close to each other, palms facing each other, and try the lat pullover. It'll be heavier than your single 15.
 
I have little hands, too and I do them as suggested above, like Cathe does in S&H - I've always done them this way and felt the way she does them in PUB is awkward (at least for me!). Something you might want to consider getting is some dumbell handles, so you can take your little weight plates and make the appropriate size dumbells. I only have dumbells through 15#'s, but I make up and use 20#'s, 25#'s, 30#'s or whatever I need with my handles. They sure would be easier to carry upstairs, if you already have plates! I bought mine at wal-mart, but any sporting goods store that sells weights will have these, too.
 
I had(sometimes still have) the same results as you - not feeling any work with the lat pullovers. I agree with the poster who said visualize your lats and concentrate and really focus in on the muscles when you do this one. It helps me feel something at least. I do use quite heavy weights when doing this - that helps too.
 
Nancy,
I think this is an exercise where concentrating on the muscle being worked really helps. Try to do the move with NO weights and see if you can get that concentration! I also find that I can concentrate more on either the lats or the chest (and I've seen the pullover listed as an exercise for both/either area)and feel the move more there.

One thing that could add some resistance is to do these on a decline. Then you are resisting gravity through more of the move (ie: when the weight is perpendicular to your body, it's still fighting gravity, whereas this is a "rest" postition when using a flat bench).
 
>My heaviest dumbbells are 15 lbs., which I guess just isn't
>enough for this exercise. Since the elevator in my apartment
>building is going to be replaced during the next two months, I
>won't be able to order new dumbbells until September unless
>I'm willing to carry them up 5 flights. Come to think of it,
>I wonder if I'll be able to hold the ends of the 20 lb.
>dumbbell in my little hands? I can barely hold the 15 lb.
>Maybe I should try using plates instead?

This coming from the woman who kicks butt doing Imax workouts?? Going up 5 flights with 40 lbs is just like one of Cathe's intensity blasts. Think of it as your warm-up girl!

Just joking around. It's the weekend and I'm allowed aren't I?
}(
punky
 
I have noticed that I need to closed my arm pit tight during the pull ups. This will allow focusing on the right muscle and greater contraction.
 
Sherry,
How does Cathe hold the dumbells in S&H? I don't have those workouts, but I would like to know how she holds the dumbell to help me with the pullovers in PUB. Thanks!
Angela:7
 
I'm not Sherry but I can help you out here. You hold a single dumbbell by one end instead of both ends, like in PUB. I usually use the S/H way when I increase my weight. I don't feel like I have a safe grip on the weight and I sure don't want a 20# db to fall on my face. :)
 
>Seated delt flys: I think that's what they are called. I
>can't figure out if the gang is going mostly up or mostly
>back. I really think my form is off. Any pointers?
>
>Thanks folks!

On these, you can either have the arms go forward a bit, in a "v" shape , or out to the sides. If they go back, then upper back muscle will take over. I usually do the "v" because then I'm sure that I'm not lifting "back". And you may have to go lighter on these than you think, because unless you've been doing rear shoulder work previously, this is often a weak muscle.
 
I can do the "horizontal" hold on up to a 15# dumbbell, but there's no way I can safely use that hold on bigger bells. I'm afraid the weight would fall on my forehead! Cathe must have bigger hands than I do!
 
Kathryn-
That's a great idea. I'll just do the "v" move from... I think it's PS. That's a great move that I know I do with good form because I can feel it working. Thanks so much!
 
Great idea Sharon!! Thanks for thinking of it! No reason why the dumbbells need to held horizontally, I'll just hold them vertically.
 
Everyone-
Great idea about holding them vertically. Makes sense. If you use the dumbbell with the 6-sided head like Cathe does and I do, the heads can get pretty big, and a lot of women have small hands like I do. And as Kathryn mentioned, it wouldn't matter so much if we weren't holding that sucker right over our heads!

Thanks guys!!

-Nancy
 
Hi:

about the lat pullovers....rather than immediately rush for the heavier weight, I have a different suggestion for you.

Like you, I have found it difficult to isolate this muscle, and rear delts are another source of confusion. What helps somewhat is actually slowing the move down. Recently I have been doing Slow and heavy training and there are 3 sets of these pullovers which I do with a 15 pound dumbell for now and I feel the muscles working so much more because the slower pace allows me to really isolate that muscle. Also Cathe tells you on this video to maintain a scapular retraction which also helps isolate the muscle. So, you may want to first of all slow the pace and see if you can really feel it before going all out and then once you have isolated the muscle, then increase pace and poundage. If you cannot feel the target muscle contracting, is there any point to the exercise?

And yes, holding that dumbell vertically rather than horizontally makes it so much easier!

Wouldn't carrying the 20 pounders up 5 flights of stairs qualify as step ups or lunge work as a nice warm up before you work out? Go on, you can do it!!!!

See ya,

Clare
 
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