![]() In developmental terms, there are actually several other positions that we should've addressed prior to beginning iron cross training, however, the nature of the progressive resistance inherent in weightlifting (rather than having to manhandle one's full bodyweight) allows us a great deal of flexibility regarding the order in which we approach these skills. Training these straight-arm movements allows you to hit the muscles in ways which could never be duplicated with bent-arm exercises. Also, note that the pectoralis and latissimus are both "fanlike" muscles which contract across a broad range of angles. The shoulders and traps will be straining while trying to stabilize the shoulder girdle, while the biceps and forearms are completely fried trying to hold the entire body up while in a disadvantaged straight-arm position. ![]() Due to the support being out to the side and bisecting the torso, both the lats and chest work extremely hard during an iron cross. No single body part is truly isolated during its execution. The iron cross, like most classic ring strength skills, is unique in that it works almost your entire upper body at the same time. Everyone recognizes it, regardless of whether or not they follow gymnastics. The strength element which is considered to be the very epitome of men's gymnastics is the iron cross, an almost magical skill where the athlete seems to defy the laws of gravity by suspending himself in midair with seemingly impossible strength. An unforeseen benefit of ring strength training is that it also makes substantial demands on the forearms as they assist in stabilizing the elbow joint. Note the heavy forearm development in addition to the arm and shoulder hypertrophy. In the past however, most people have simply not had access to the coaching needed to develop these skills. While the ring strength of an Olympian is far beyond the grasp of most, surprisingly the basic positions and movements are accessible by a wide range of athletes. But are these skills only attainable by elite athletes, or are they approachable by those of us who possess more modest athletic abilities? The benefits of ring strength training are easily observed by even the most casual eye. ![]() This isn't your typical bodybuilding article, but we think you'll find it interesting. In the article below, Coach Sommer provides a peak inside this unique style of training and teaches the average reader how to take advantage of it. What we learned was that most trained with no weights and built amazing biceps with no curls. Editor's Note: A few months ago we interviewed Coach Sommer about how male gymnasts build their amazing physiques.
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