Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.
Engage your core and lats. Pull your chest to the bar, driving elbows down and back. Squeeze shoulder blades at the top, clearing your chin. Hold briefly, then slowly lower with control until arms are fully extended. Maintain a straight torso throughout.
To maximize lat engagement, focus on driving your elbows downward and backward as if pulling something heavy towards your pockets, which will help you feel the muscles working. Really squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, ensuring your chin clears the bar and you achieve a full contraction. Maintaining a tight core throughout the exercise will stabilize your torso and prevent unwanted swaying, which will improve power transfer and reduce the risk of injury. Be mindful to avoid shrugging your shoulders during the pull; focus on initiating the movement with your back muscles rather than your traps. Control the descent by resisting the urge to let gravity take over, feeling the stretch in your lats as you slowly return to the starting position.
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