[No. 365] Remembering the BackโRediscovering the Sensation That Started with Gripping ๐ช๐ฑ
When I was training at the gym, back training was my forte.
I don't know what my actual silhouette looked like.
Even so, I was sometimes complimented on my back.
However, as I have written in several articles, recently I've felt a bit weak at it, or rather, the sensation of it being effective has faded.
I think the difference is, after all, the presence or absence of machines.
๐ Articles themed around muscle training are compiled in a magazine.
Please take a look at this as well if you'd like๐
๐ Cultivating the BodyโRenji Enko's Bodybuilding Record
๐ The series themed around the back is here
๐ BACK COREโSupporting with the Back, the Power of the Axis
The Difference Between Machines and Free Weights ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐
With machines, it is easier to pinpoint and stimulate the targeted area to a certain extent.
On the other hand, free weights are different.
Even with bent-over rows.
Even with deadlifts.
There is a sense of using the whole body.
That is a major advantage, but it is a bit different from the sensation of exhausting only the back.
I had a feeling that I wasn't quite pushing myself to the limit, just one step short.
The Sensation That Starts with Pull-ups ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ๐ฅ
Even so, I have been gradually regaining that sensation.
Recently, I often start with pull-ups.
I also change my grip.
Sometimes it's a straight bar.
Sometimes it's a parallel grip with palms facing each other.
I also change the width.
In my case, pull-ups are easy to target toward my back.
There is a sense of stretch, too.
It is also easy to feel the contraction.
I feel that pull-ups offer a sensation that is hard to get from rowing with dumbbells or barbells.
What I remembered was the sensation of gripping โ๐ก
At one point, I remembered an old sensation.
Back when I used to go to the gym.
It was a day when I exhausted my back while using many machines.
I also get muscle soreness.
Naturally, my back is also being worked effectively.
However, the next day, what left the biggest impression on me was my palms.
My palms hurt.
That was always the case back in the day when I had fully exhausted my back.
The pink ones were added in January, and the mint ones in November.
These are tools I actually purchased myself and have been using for many years.
They are one of my important partners that support my training.
I use VERSA GRIPPS.
That was when I remembered.
"Ah, that's right."
I had been focusing only on the sensation in my back.
But in my case, what was truly important was the act of gripping.
The sensation changed by gripping โ๐
Grip the bar firmly.
And push yourself until the act of gripping itself becomes painful.
I had forgotten that sensation.
What I am particularly conscious of are,
the middle finger,
the ring finger,
and the little finger.
These three fingers.
When I look at my palms, calluses form in the areas corresponding to these three fingers.
When I have the intention of gripping firmly with these three fingers, the sensation in my back changes significantly.
Of course, this is my own personal sensation.
However, I felt once again that even when doing the same exercise, the results change just by changing where you focus your attention.
Changing your perspective ๐ฑ๐
When you continue strength training, you tend to look only at your current challenges.
However, surprisingly, sometimes the answer is something your past self already knows.
You had just forgotten.
I don't think this is limited to just strength training.
It is important to have unwavering beliefs.
But I think it is just as important to change your perspective.
I thought I was training my back, but what I remembered was the sensation of "gripping."
I feel like such a small realization has helped me move forward once again.
โ ๏ธ Caution
๐ช This article is based on the author's experience and personal thoughts.
๐๏ธโโ๏ธ There are individual differences in the effects and methods of training.
โ ๏ธ Please perform exercises safely according to your physical condition and environment.
โ
Please make decisions and perform exercises at your own risk.
Underlying ร Cultivation
Fields, bodies, and investmentsโa way of life that keeps on tilling.
Renji Enko