Bollywood actor Sonu Sood is taking his fitness to new heights in preparation for his upcoming directorial debut, ‘Fateh’.
In a recent social media post, Sood Impressive strength and dedication A series of high-intensity pull-ups reminds you that this classic exercise is a powerful way to build upper body strength.
Sharing a video of himself working out on Instagram, Sood wrote, “My day is 22 hours. Remaining 2 hours are for fitness.”
Pull-ups are well known as an exercise that strengthens the arms and back muscles, but what many people may not realize is that they also strengthen the core.
As the actor shared his fitness journey, Zealbox owner and fitness trainer Alan Thomas said, Pull-ups can be a game changer For both arm and core development.
How pull-ups strengthen your arms and core
“The pulling action relies primarily on the biceps, which contract as you pull up and support most of your body weight,” says Thomas. “Grip strength is key for a pull-up. Grip strength is key when you’re holding the bar.” Strengthen your forearm musclesIt improves your overall grip strength.”
He says that pull-ups strongly engage muscles such as the deltoids (shoulders) and latissimus dorsi (latissimus dorsi) in the upper back, providing great upper body strength.
As for the core, the rectus abdominis (your “six-pack” muscles) are engaged during this exercise to stabilize the body and prevent swaying. Additionally, the obliques Stabilize your torso and maintain good postureThe transverse abdominis is another deep core muscle that helps increase overall stability during the pull-up movement, explains Thomas.
Use a resistance band or assisted pull-up machine to support some of your body weight (Source: Freepik)
Chin-up variations to incorporate into your core training routine
Thomas details some pull-up variations you can try to better engage your core.
– Hang your knees to your chest: While still in a pull-up position, raise your legs straight up so that your body forms an L. This will target your abdominal muscles.
– Too Too Bar: Similar to Hanging Leg RaiseHowever, you’ll raise your feet higher until your toes touch the bar — this is an advanced move that really targets your abs.
– L-Sit Pull-Ups: Do a pull-up with your legs extended straight out in front of you in an L-shape. You need a lot of core strength to maintain this position. Sonu Sood perfects this move thanks to his consistency and excellent core strength.
Progressive exercises for beginners
For beginners who can’t yet perform a full pull-up, Alan suggests the following progressive exercises that can be used to get you up to speed.
Scapular Suspension: Hang from the bar and press your shoulder blades together in a small, controlled motion, which strengthens the muscles needed for the initial pull-up movement.
Assisted Pull-Ups: Use resistance bands or assisted pull-up machines Supports part of the body weight As it gains strength.
Negative pull-up: Jump or step up to the top of the pull-up position and then slowly lower yourself down over 2-3 seconds, which promotes an eccentric contraction and builds strength.
Bodyweight Rowing (Reverse Rowing): Use a low bar or suspension TRX trainer. Keep your body in a straight position and pull your chest towards the bar. This exercise develops pulling strength with less weight.
