Pull movements are upper body movements that you would typically do on back and biceps day in the gym. Remember we always want to start with the most simple and stable variation giving us the greatest chance of success. As you master the movements, you can begin to progress to more complex, less stable movements. 

Much like our push patterns, the pull movements divide into vertical and horizontal movements. Horizontal pulling involves by pulling your arms back toward you from straight out in front of your body. Examples (from least to most difficult) are seated rows, cable face pulls, and bent over rows. Vertical pushing involves pulling your arms back toward you from above your head. Examples (from least to most difficult) are straight arm pull downs, lat pull downs, and pull ups. 

Why do Pull Movements Matter?

We like to always highlight the importance of strength in these movements by looking at how we use those muscles in everyday life. Our pull muscles help open a door, pick up a box off the table, start an old rope start lawnmower. They help us to pull someone up off the ground and carry all of the groceries in one trip. The theme continues: you need strength in all areas to live a long, healthy life. 

Previously, we discussed how the push musculature is implicated in poor posture, potentially playing a role in neck and shoulder pain. While push muscles are often over-trained and become over-shortened or tight, the pull muscles are often over-stretched and/or weak. This is as much of a contributor to postural issues as the tightness in the push region. Training pulling more frequently or intensely than push movements can help to counteract some of those postural issues over time. Consult with a professional about your strength training to help balance your routine appropriately.

Pull Movements can be complicated

Pulling is often extremely difficult to do correctly due to the complexity added by the shoulder blades. You’ll often hear people tell you to “pull your shoulders down and back” when doing these movements. It’s easy to do a row bringing your shoulder toward your ear instead of away from it. The motion looks the same, the weight ends in the correct position, and the arm makes effectively the same movement. When the shoulder blade changes course we may not activate the muscles we’re targeting. Always consult a professional when trying any of the more complex variations for the first time. Always consult a professional if you are experiencing pain during or after any movements.