Cable Pull Throughs?

I’m doing the Corrective Phase of Berardi’s S2B book. I don’t think I’m doing the Cable Pull Throughs correctly but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I feel like I’m only slightly working my hamstrings and I’m putting a lot of stress on my lower back and elbows/biceps. I’m trying to put my legs into it and not use my arms to lift, but I still feel like most of the stress is in the arms and lower back. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

[quote]Bonn1997 wrote:
I’m doing the Corrective Phase of Berardi’s S2B book. I don’t think I’m doing the Cable Pull Throughs correctly but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I feel like I’m only slightly working my hamstrings and I’m putting a lot of stress on my lower back and elbows/biceps. I’m trying to put my legs into it and not use my arms to lift, but I still feel like most of the stress is in the arms and lower back. What am I doing wrong? Thanks![/quote]

I think most likely you are bending OVER too far and not DOWN, like a squat. It will help to keep your head up looking at something on the opposite wall, try to stay a little bit on your heels, and squat down, not bend over (you allow your low back to flex some when you bend over at the waist). As far as the biceps go, use a rope attachment, and when you grip the rope, do so in a way that makes your palms face in towards your thighs, not towards the each other, if that makes sense. Think of exploding at the hip like a clean/tire flip, squat, etc.

I used to have the same problem you are having. That’s just the way I solved it. I’m sure other people have different ways/cues to fix this.

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Bonn1997 wrote:
I’m doing the Corrective Phase of Berardi’s S2B book. I don’t think I’m doing the Cable Pull Throughs correctly but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I feel like I’m only slightly working my hamstrings and I’m putting a lot of stress on my lower back and elbows/biceps. I’m trying to put my legs into it and not use my arms to lift, but I still feel like most of the stress is in the arms and lower back. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

I think most likely you are bending OVER too far and not DOWN, like a squat. It will help to keep your head up looking at something on the opposite wall, try to stay a little bit on your heels, and squat down, not bend over (you allow your low back to flex some when you bend over at the waist). As far as the biceps go, use a rope attachment, and when you grip the rope, do so in a way that makes your palms face in towards your thighs, not towards the each other, if that makes sense. Think of exploding at the hip like a clean/tire flip, squat, etc.

I used to have the same problem you are having. That’s just the way I solved it. I’m sure other people have different ways/cues to fix this.[/quote]

Don’t follow this advice, these are quarter squats, not pullthroughs. Maybe they’re an effective exercise, but they’re not pullthroughs.

Your arms should be barely bending at all, so it might be that you’re rowing the weight up. Try going lighter and see if you can feel it more on your hamstrings.

My guess is that your ass isn’t going back far enough; you should feel a real stretch in your hamstrings when you’re down all the way. Make sure you aren’t bending at the knees too much, you don’t want to end up doing quarter squats.

Also when you’re coming up, make sure you’re squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips through. Don’t just pull the weight up.

[quote]cap’nsalty wrote:
Don’t follow this advice, these are quarter squats, not pullthroughs. Maybe they’re an effective exercise, but they’re not pullthroughs.

Your arms should be barely bending at all, so it might be that you’re rowing the weight up. Try going lighter and see if you can feel it more on your hamstrings.

My guess is that your ass isn’t going back far enough; you should feel a real stretch in your hamstrings when you’re down all the way. Make sure you aren’t bending at the knees too much, you don’t want to end up doing quarter squats.

Also when you’re coming up, make sure you’re squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips through. Don’t just pull the weight up.[/quote]

Great advice here I would just like to further stress the activation of the glutes/hips dont pull the weight up start by activating the hips drive them forward. and be sure you like said above going BACK far enough not down.

Thanks for the help! I’ll give this a try.

[quote]cap’nsalty wrote:
Aragorn wrote:
Bonn1997 wrote:
Don’t follow this advice, these are quarter squats, not pullthroughs. Maybe they’re an effective exercise, but they’re not pullthroughs.

Your arms should be barely bending at all, so it might be that you’re rowing the weight up. Try going lighter and see if you can feel it more on your hamstrings.

My guess is that your ass isn’t going back far enough; you should feel a real stretch in your hamstrings when you’re down all the way. Make sure you aren’t bending at the knees too much, you don’t want to end up doing quarter squats.

Also when you’re coming up, make sure you’re squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips through. Don’t just pull the weight up.[/quote]

They are not quarter squats. And I agree, I absolutely don’t want you to pull from your arms like a row. The grip I found put less temptation into me to row it up. Use what works for you.

Yes, I must have described the exercise in perfectly wrong words. I do in fact get a great stretch in the glutes/upper portion of my hams. My quads are not worked at all.

Here are two links to show you. I do my pull throughs like Eric Cressey recommends in deadlift diagnosis. This is what I was trying to show you, but obviously my words were not accurately conveying my meaning.

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-044-training

The Westside Crew’s example:

When I do em, it kinda feels like a romanian deadlift in that you keep your legs only slightly flexed. I feel it some in lower back but when I am at the bottom of the lift I feel it in the hammies. Also, don’t pull the weight up but just bring it up as your upper body comes up.

Ah, you’re talking about arched backed pullthroughs.

Does anyone have video of this? I’ve been trying to do them also and I just don’t think I am getting it.

Could this movement also be done wearing a belt attached to the cable instead of pulling it between your legs?

Thanks.

One problem I had was that I wasn’t starting down low enough. I was kind of starting between knee and waist level and pulling up. But you really have to start at around the ground. After reading everyone’s advice here and re-reading part of Berardi’s S2B, I’ve finally gotten it right.

Check out the exercise section on elitefts and Id say no cant be done with a belt.

Pull-Thrus
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/gpullthru.mpg

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/bpullthru.mpg

Maybe these two short vids will help?

UserRamma

[quote]UserRamma wrote:
Pull-Thrus
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/gpullthru.mpg

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/bpullthru.mpg

Maybe these two short vids will help?

UserRamma[/quote]

Thanks alot!

I was doing them totally wrong!

[quote]UserRamma wrote:
Pull-Thrus
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/gpullthru.mpg

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/bpullthru.mpg

Maybe these two short vids will help?

UserRamma[/quote]
Is the 2nd one safe for the back? That angle looks kind of risky

[quote]Bonn1997 wrote:
UserRamma wrote:
Pull-Thrus
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/gpullthru.mpg

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps2/strengthlab/images/bpullthru.mpg

Maybe these two short vids will help?

UserRamma
Is the 2nd one safe for the back? That angle looks kind of risky
[/quote]

yes any exercise carries risk hell so does tieing your shoes.

That is a slightly rounded back version. It will really hit the low back build it I suggest starting anf going a bit lighter with it. Or some dont use it of course. It can be very effective just be safe and know the risk to any exercise.

Phill