Pull 8: Lat and Rhomboid Burner Workout with Shoulder Prehab

Move slowly and deliberately to avoid sudden movements.

Keep circles smooth and controlled—avoid jerky motions.

Breathe steadily and deeply to maximize relaxation and blood flow.

Gradually increase the range of motion as your joints warm up.

Perform each movement for 15-20 seconds, or until joints feel loosened.

Customize your routine slightly based on the specific demands of your workout.

Keep the Core Tight: Engage your core throughout the movement to prevent your hips from lifting or sagging.

Minimize Hip Movement: The goal is to keep your hips stable, avoiding excessive side-to-side motion. This helps maximize core engagement and balance.

Small Steps: Take smaller, controlled steps to improve balance and coordination while keeping the movement fluid.

Controlled Breathing: Breathe steadily as you crawl, exhaling as you move each hand and foot forward, and inhaling as you stabilize. Proper breathing helps maintain core stability.

Hand and Shoulder Alignment: Keep your hands under your shoulders and ensure each step forward is controlled to reduce strain on your wrists and shoulders.

Keep your body in a rigid plank position to maximize stability.

Engage your lats throughout the movement to maintain control.

Perform the exercise slowly, focusing on mind-muscle connection.

If you’re new to scapular control, practice hanging scapular retractions first.

Use controlled breathing to maintain core engagement and stability.

Keep your neck neutral—avoid tucking or craning it forward.

Keep Arms Straight but Not Locked: Maintain a slight bend in the elbows to reduce unnecessary joint strain.

Move in a Smooth, Controlled Manner: Avoid jerky or fast motions—slow, controlled reps activate muscles more effectively.

Focus on Squeezing the Shoulder Blades: Imagine pinching a pencil between your scapulae at the bottom of the movement.

Engage Your Core Throughout: Prevent excessive lumbar arching by keeping abs and glutes activated.

Keep a Steady Breathing Pattern: Inhale as you extend the arms forward, and exhale as you sweep them back.

Try Adding Light Weights for Progression: Holding small plates or wrist weights can increase resistance for added challenge.

Start with a descent of 3-5 seconds, gradually increasing to 6-8 seconds as you gain strength.

Engage your core and glutes throughout the movement to stabilize your body.

Breathe steadily—inhale at the top and exhale slowly during the descent.

Use a slight pause at the bottom before stepping back up to reinforce control.

Experiment with grip variations (neutral grip may feel more comfortable for some athletes).

Train consistently—negative pull-ups should be performed 2-3 times per week for optimal progress.

Maintain a neutral neck position to avoid strain.

Keep your wrists straight and aligned with your forearms.

Adjust grip width to target different areas of the back (wider for lats, narrower for biceps).

If using rings, rotate your grip naturally during the movement for better joint alignment.

Pause at the top for a brief second to maximize muscle engagement.

Gradually increase the difficulty by changing body position or adding weight.

Keep your wrist neutral throughout the movement to prevent strain.

Use a light resistance band to prioritize control and full range of motion.

Place a rolled-up towel under your elbow to improve muscle activation and prevent compensation.

Focus on high reps (12-20) with slow, controlled movement rather than heavy resistance.

Maintain even tension in the band throughout the motion to avoid jerky movements.

Maintain Upright Posture: Keep your torso upright and chest lifted throughout the movement. Avoid leaning forward or arching your back.

Step with Control: Focus on controlled, deliberate steps. Rushing the movement can lead to poor form and injury.

Knee Alignment: Ensure that your front knee stays aligned with your toes and doesn’t go past your toes as you lunge.

Push Through the Heel: When you push off to bring your back leg forward, drive through the heel of your front foot to engage your glutes and hamstrings effectively.

Engage Your Core: Keep your core engaged to help with balance and stability as you move forward.

Avoid Overstriding: Taking too large a step can cause your back leg to overstretch and may place unnecessary stress on your joints.

Squeeze your glutes at the top to fully activate your posterior chain.

Look slightly upward to maintain neck alignment but avoid excessive tilting.

Engage your core to prevent lower back sagging.

If your wrists feel strained, try placing hands on yoga blocks or using fists instead of flat palms.

Perform dynamic reps by lowering and lifting the hips for added activation before holding the position statically.