Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

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not surprise you. However, I also avoid programming the bent-over barbell row.
Now that might surprise you because it is, after all, a row. The problem is not in
the basic movement pattern but in the faulty position of the load. Your knees get
in the way of the ideal path of the barbell, forcing it excessively forward, which
places undue strain on your lumbar spine. That’s why you’ll perform variations
of the row that allow the load to be held closer to your body, reducing the likelihood
of a low back injury.
If you choose to design your own plan with the exercises in this chapter, rotate
between a horizontal pull and vertical pull from workout to workout. The same
is true with a horizontal and vertical push. This helps ensure a balance of development
of the pectorals, deltoids, serratus anterior in the front and rhomboids,
trapezius, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and teres minor in the back (see figure
7.1 for upper body musculature). Now let’s cover all the upper body exercises
you’ll need to build high-performance muscle and strength while preserving the
integrity of your joints.
Deltoid:
Anterior deltoid
Middle deltoid
Pectoralis major:
Clavicular portion
Sternal portion
Serratus anterior
a
Trapezius:
Upper trapezius
Middle trapezius
Lower trapezius
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres minor
Rhomboids
b
FIGURE 7.1 Upper body muscles : (a) front view and (b) rear view.
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