Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.
Set the barbell on the safety pins inside the squat rack. Keep it low, but not low so low that you can’t get into the proper position under it. You will be starting the lift at this point. Thus, place it at a challenging but doable height. Get into your normal squatting position. Place the bar behind your neck, over your shoulders. Hold the bar firmly while engaging your core and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Rise from the bottom position. While ascending, keep your back engaged and avoid any uncontrolled movements. From the pins, the weight of the bar is now on your shoulders, so try your best to maintain full control. Once you reach the top, gradually start the downward phase, squatting back down to your bottom position. Briefly rest the bar on the safety pins and then repeat for additional reps.
Stay tight and controlled, hitting the pins evenly to avoid tendonitis. Don’t bounce the bar off the pins; use controlled contact for useful kinetic energy. Use pin presses to check consistency in your bench stroke and develop an efficient pressing pattern.
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