Researching the research
HYPOTHESIS
Not all scientific studies should be accepted as fact.
RESEARCH
You’d like to believe that research scientists whoare publishing studies on weight training know what they’re
doing. Unfortunately, much as there are numerous bad personal
trainers out there, there are numerous bad researchers. For
proof, we selected a recent article published in the Journal of
Strength of Conditioning Research by researchers from Brazil,
who performed a study comparing the lat pulldown (done in
front) to the behind-the-neck pulldown.
FINDINGS
Researchers concluded that the front lat pulldown was superior to the behind-the-neck pulldown, despite the fact
that the two versions of pulldowns yielded no difference in muscle activity in the lats. They further concluded that behind the-neck pulldowns should be avoided, but they admitted that research shows that there is no risk
of shoulder injuries (as many falsely claim) with this version of the exercise.
CONCLUSION
Before you give up on the behind-the-neck pulldown — which FLEX concludes is an effective exercise for the lats when performed properly — you need to consider the exercise form on the pulldowns that the researchers had the subjects use. Go to the forums at flexonline.com and look under our “When Good Studies Go Bad” topic to see the study and the photos of the exercise form used. As you will notice, both the pulldowns to the front and the behind-the-neck pulldowns were done with such horrible form that the results of the study basically mean nothing.
APPLICATION
Do not give up on the behind-the-neck lat pulldown. To do it properly, bend forward at the waist, so you don’t have to flex your neck forward, which can be dangerous.
Also, always look to FLEX for your training advice. We weed out the bad studies from the good ones so that you don’t have to make heads or tails of what researchers are telling you.
Flexonline
