Crossover exercises for girls’ backs, pectoral muscles, buttocks

A crossover is a universal exercise machine with a large number of functions that allow you to perform physical exercises to pump up the muscles of the shoulder girdle, back, buttocks, chest and legs.

This sports equipment is especially popular among girls who want to get rid of excess weight, make their body drier and more prominent. The crossover is a convenient exercise machine with upper and lower blocks that are designed for the development of all skeletal muscle groups.

Advantages and features of the crossover simulator

Crossover exercises can be performed independently or under the guidance of an instructor. A distinctive feature of this simulator is that with the help of its blocks it will be possible to develop not only the back, but also all parts of the musculoskeletal system.

The training process is organized taking into account what results the girl wants to achieve. If you need to build muscle mass, then the main emphasis is on working with heavy weights with a minimum number of repetitions. To create a ripped and lean body, you need to increase the number of repetitions with a medium to light weight block.

The following advantages of the crossover simulator are highlighted:

multifunctionality of sports equipment;
the ability to pump up all muscle groups;
ease of operation;
performing isolation exercises on a specific muscle group;
minimal risk of injury;
high level of technology;
convenient regulator of the scales of the upper and lower unit.

Crossover exercises for the back are performed by athletes who are professionally involved in fitness, as well as by girls who want to keep themselves in shape and avoid gaining excess body weight.

What is a crossover?

A crossover is one of the basic devices in any gym, and it looks completely unpretentious. It is a block frame (2 metal racks), equipped with traction blocks - upper and lower. Weights can be adjusted depending on the athlete's level of training. The simulator is also equipped with special cables, various handles, and a crossbar. It is characterized as a power device.

The athlete sets the desired weight, selects a handle, and takes the starting position. Then, through the force of the target muscle group, it pulls the blocks in the desired direction and at a certain angle, as a result of which they move up and down inside the frame.

Translated from English, the word “cross over” is translated as “through everything.” Literally, this means that the simulator allows you to train the whole body, this is its multitasking.

Crossover squats with a lower block are one of the best ways to load the lower body: hips and buttocks. At the same time, the device serves as a support, which means that the athlete will not expend additional forces on controlling balance. The training will be high-quality and aimed specifically at the target muscles.

What muscles are involved during crossover exercises?

During crossover training, physical stress is created on the following skeletal muscle groups:

gluteal muscles;
biceps;
deltoid muscles;
triceps;
muscles of the shoulder girdle;
latissimus dorsi muscle;
muscle fibers of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity;
all muscles of the lower extremities;
chest muscles.

During crossover training, each girl can independently distribute physical activity to individual areas of the body. For example, if it is necessary to pump up the gluteal muscles, then focused exercises are performed on the lower block. In this case, an indirect load is created on the entire lower part of the body, including the muscles of the lower extremities.

What muscles work when doing block squats?

First of all, the gluteal muscles are loaded. The load in the crossover falls on them as much as possible.
Additionally, but with less intensity, the quadriceps muscles of the thigh work. If you are looking for a squat variation that requires minimal quadriceps work, this is exactly what you need. The adductor and biceps femoris muscles also act as stabilizers.
The muscles of the back and abdomen act as stabilizers of the position of the torso.

Training sets for the pectoral muscles in a crossover, number of repetitions

In a crossover, you can effectively pump up your pectoral muscles, making them drier and more prominent. The main thing is to choose the right weight and set of exercises.

Pull the lower blocks from top to bottom

Performing this exercise in a crossover looks like this:

Select the optimal weight in the lower side blocks.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Grab the cable handles with your hands.
Raise your upper limbs to the level of the shoulder girdle.
As you inhale, pull the weight of the blocks from above down towards your chest.
As you exhale, move your arms to the sides.

Beginners are recommended to perform 7 repetitions in 3 sets. Experienced athletes should do 12 repetitions in 4 sets.

Bent-over row of lower blocks

Bent-over lower block rows using a crossover allow you to pump up the internal muscle bundles of the chest and at the same time develop the latissimus dorsi muscles.

Performing the exercise requires compliance with the following instructions:

Select the working weight of the lower blocks.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your torso forward so that your back is parallel to the floor.
Grasp the handles of the cables of the lower blocks with your hands.
While inhaling, perform weight pulls with the handles of the cables directed towards the inside of the chest.
As you exhale, straighten your arms at the elbows, returning the sports equipment to its original position.

Girls who are just starting training are recommended to perform 6 repetitions in 3 sets. For experienced athletes, the optimal load is 12 repetitions in 3-4 sets.

Lifting the barbell up

Lifting the barbell upward in a crossover allows you to pump up the upper part of the pectoral muscles, making them not only sculpted, but also makes it possible to build muscle mass.

This type of exercise is performed as follows:

Select the optimal weight on the simulator.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Take the barbell, placing it on the upper chest, holding it with your hands.
As you inhale, lift the barbell up, pushing it away from your chest.
As you exhale, return the bar to its original position at the level of the shoulder girdle.

Girls who are just getting acquainted with crossover training are recommended to perform this exercise for 5 repetitions in 3 sets. Athletes with extensive experience in the gym can do 12 repetitions in 3 sets.

Technique for performing a squat from the lower block

Install the clamp on the working weight in the crossover, attach a straight handle to the lower block. By the way, you can also work with rope.
Grab the handle with both hands closer to the edges, straighten up and move a short distance away from the block.
Place your feet slightly wider than your pelvis, with your toes slightly pointed apart.
Lean your whole body back slightly, but do not arch your lower back. The resistance of the rope will prevent you from falling backwards, just find a support point. It is important to transfer your body weight to your heels. Keep your arms straight throughout the approach.
As you inhale, move your pelvis back, as with regular squats, only transfer more weight to your heels, do not let the block pull your torso. In this case, the body is kept as upright as possible. There is no need to straighten your torso perpendicular to the floor, but you should not bend almost parallel to the floor either.
The pelvis can be lowered to the level of the knees, or a little lower. The main thing is not to round the lower back.
Exhale, push your heels off the floor and straighten your torso, returning to the starting position. At the top point of the amplitude, squeeze your buttocks, increasing muscle contraction, as if you were twisting your tailbone “under you.”
Don't relax your abs throughout the entire approach. At the top, maintain a straight line with your body slightly tilted back.

Crossover glute training, number of repetitions

By performing exercises in a crossover, you can pump up the muscles of the buttocks and the skeletal muscles of the lower extremities. This set of workouts is suitable for gaining weight and creating sculpted body shapes.

Thrust of the lower block in the crossover between the legs

The crossover between the legs is a complex exercise that develops the muscle tissue of the buttocks, strengthens the back, shoulder girdle and legs.

To carry out this training, you must follow the following algorithm of actions:

Select the working weight of the lower block of the simulator.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Pass the handle of the exercise cable between your legs.
Turn your back to the lower block of the scale.
Bend your torso forward, keeping your back straight.
As you inhale, straighten your body, pulling the weight of the lower block of the simulator by activating the gluteal muscles.
As you exhale, return the body to the starting position.

While performing this exercise, it is necessary to ensure that the back remains straight all the time, and the main physical activity goes to the muscles of the buttocks.

Do not pull weights using arm strength or the latissimus dorsi muscles.

For beginners, the optimal load is to perform 7 repetitions in 3 sets. Girls with extensive experience in crossover physical training are recommended to do 12 repetitions in 3-4 approaches.

Crossover barbell squats

The crossover barbell squat is a classic exercise that allows you to create maximum load on all areas of the gluteal muscles, make them more rounded, and increase physical strength.

Performing this exercise requires compliance with the following instructions:

Select the working weight on the 2 lower side blocks in the crossover.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Place the barbell on the line of the shoulder girdle behind the neck.
As you inhale, perform a deep squat, fully bending your knees.
As you exhale, return to the starting position of your body.

To minimize the risk of injury to the lumbar spine, it is recommended to use a special athletic belt. Crossover barbell squats are an energy-intensive and complex exercise.

For beginners, it is enough to perform 3-5 repetitions in 2 sets, using minimal weights. Girls who squat with heavy weights for a long period of time are recommended to do 10-12 repetitions in 3 sets.

Lunges with a barbell in a crossover

Performing lunges with a barbell in a crossover is an exercise that pumps the gluteal muscles and the entire back of the thigh.

The training is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Select the optimal weights on the lower side blocks in the crossover.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Place the barbell on the shoulder girdle behind the neck.
As you inhale, take a step forward, performing a lunge and squat with weight on your front leg.
As you exhale, straighten your lower limb, returning your body to its starting position.
Perform similar steps for the other leg.

Girls who have just started training their buttocks in a crossover perform this exercise for 4 repetitions in 3 approaches. Experienced athletes do lunges with a barbell for 10 repetitions in 3-4 sets.

Crossover abdominal training, number of repetitions

By performing exercises in a crossover, you can pump up not only all groups of skeletal muscles, but also the muscles of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity.

Raising the torso with weights

Lifting your torso with weights is a classic way to pump up your abdominal muscles, but using a machine.

This exercise looks like this:

Select a comfortable weight on the lower block of the simulator.
Take a sitting position.
Take the bar of the exercise machine in your hands and pull it to the upper part of the chest.
While inhaling, a weight pull is performed while simultaneously lowering the torso down.
As you exhale, you return to a sitting position.

All movements of raising and lowering the body while pumping the abs are performed slowly and without sudden movements.

During training, it is necessary to ensure that the main accentuated load is created on the transverse muscles of the anterior abdominal cavity. Beginner athletes should do 10 repetitions in 3 sets. For girls with extensive training experience, it is recommended to perform 20 repetitions in 4 sets.

Forward bends

This crossover abdominal exercise is also known as “prayer.”

The training looks like this:

Select the optimal weight on the lower block of the simulator.
Take a slingshot-shaped bar in your hands, placing it on the line of the frontal lobe of the head.
Get on your knees.
As you inhale, tilt your torso forward, pulling the weight of the side block.
As you exhale, return the body to its original position.

For beginners, the workload of this exercise is 8 repetitions in 3 sets. Girls who pump their abs in a crossover for a long period of time perform 15 repetitions in 3 sets.

Reverse twisting

Performing this crossover abdominal exercise creates physical stress on the anterior abdominal wall and also indirectly trains the latissimus dorsi muscles.

To perform twists in the opposite direction, you must follow the following algorithm:

Select a comfortable weight for the lower block.
Turn your back to the machine.
Get on your knees.
Take the bar in the shape of a slingshot with your hands, and then pull it to the back of the head.
As you inhale, twist with your torso forward, pulling the weight of the lower block.
As you exhale, straighten your body, returning your body to its original position.

Girls who have just started crossover training perform this exercise for 7 repetitions in 3 sets. Experienced athletes are recommended to do 20 repetitions in 4 sets.

Possible errors and tips for eliminating them

The table below describes the main mistakes that girls make when performing crossover exercises, as well as tips for eliminating them.

Most common mistakes	Tips for eliminating them
Rounding the back	At all stages of training, you must ensure that your back remains straight at all times. Otherwise, gradual deformation of the spine will occur.
Sudden movements.	All exercises should be performed smoothly and without jerking. To do this, use light weights.
Pressing your elbows to your body	When training in a crossover, you should not press your elbows to your body. These hand joints must be moved to the sides.
No warm-up	Crossover exercises are safe for the musculoskeletal system, but lack of a proper warm-up can lead to injury. Before starting a workout, it is necessary to thoroughly warm up the muscles, the duration of which is at least 15 minutes.
Leaning forward	Leaning the body forward is allowed only if it is provided for by the rules of the exercise. Otherwise, you need to keep your torso straight at all times.

Crossover exercises for the back muscles are universal workouts that allow you to develop all parts of the skeletal muscles, pump up your abs and strengthen your ligaments. The advantage of using this simulator is its versatility.

In order to conduct a comprehensive training for different muscle groups, it is enough to use the upper and lower crossover blocks, use bars of different shapes and functional purposes.

Girls who are just starting to exercise, performing crossover exercises, should work with light weights. The main emphasis of the training is on compliance with technical standards for isolated pumping of each muscle group.

Benefits of Crossover Exercises

The exercises that are performed on this simulator are quite specific. For a beginner who is not used to training, it is often difficult to navigate. But once you understand the technology and its features, you can get a lot of advantages:

Work of several muscle groups when performing one exercise. When performing crossover exercises, you cannot do with one muscle group while isolating the others. For example, if the muscles of the arms and biceps are being worked, in most cases the pectoral muscles will be involved.
Crossover exercises for men allow you to work out and sharpen the shape of lagging muscles in isolation, making them more pronounced.
The specificity of the design is such that when performing any exercise, maximum stretching of the working muscle will occur.
Using a weight that is much lighter than in isolated exercises (press, deadlift, etc.). This feature makes the crossover a less dangerous exercise machine.
Great variability in use. There is a huge variety of exercises for all muscle groups. There are exercises that beginner athletes can do, and there are exercises for seasoned professionals.

Using a crossover simulator, exercises can be performed on the pectoral muscles, gluteal muscles, back, and biceps.