I invented an exercise. Kinda. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing?

[_MementoMori_]

I think it's kinda like a poor man's rowing machine. At least that's how it feels the next day. What I'm doing is lying under my dining room table and grasping either the sides or the front edge and then pulling myself up until my nose comes close to touching the underside of the table. Sometimes I mix it up by placing my feet on a wooden bench as I do this.

On a side note, I love exercises like this that don't use weights and force you to get creative with what's on hand. Feel free to share more like it if you know some.

 

[Early Morning]

Sounds almost like a variation of a chin-up. You are evidently using your biceps, deltoids, trapezius and pectorals, while also squeezing your abdominal muscles through part of the range of motion. Some other similar-type exercises that spring to mind are regular front and back chin-ups, dips and leg raises. Leg raises are more effective for working the abs than situps (cross the ankles), but your abs won't really show much unless you have very little body fat. Great exercises if you mix in plenty of cardiovascular/aerobic (biking, etc).

Your exercise: Make sure to focus on good form and keep your back level and straight. Slow steady movements are much better than fast and sloppy. You might want to think about the muscle groups you are using during the course of the exercise to determine if it's an effective one that you want to incorporate into a larger routine.

 

[commanderkeen]

Congratulations. If I understood correctly, you are doing an inverted row. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-inverted-rows/

 

[_MementoMori_]

Congratulations. If I understood correctly, you are doing an inverted row. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-inverted-rows/

That's it exactly! My form is different because of the dimensions of the table and where I'm forced to grasp the edges, but that's it. I love them. In fact, I'm sore this morning from doing them yesterday.

 

[blary54]

Yeah i do those almost every back workout. I use TRX Straps and I do many variations of the move.

Like this(thats not me but its what I do):

 

[Katia]

Sometimes I see guys doing a variation of that on the Smith Machine at the Y, even putting their feet up on a bench. Been meaning to try it myself some time.

That's what I was going to say-- I've heard of people doing it with a Smith.