What is the "Roman chair" simulator and what is it used for?

If a thing or object has proved its effectiveness, it will take a very long time before people stop using it because technical progress has been able to offer something more perfect. The same can be said about simulators. One of the most striking examples of this is the "Roman chair" simulator, designed to strengthen the back and abdominals, which, according to legend, were used in the old days by gladiators. The simplicity of the design and the efficiency of the exercises performed on it made this shell a favorite among the great multitude of athletes. If you believe the stories, the gladiator press became so strong that it could withstand even the weight of a light chariot.

What does a Roman chair look like?

Now manufacturers produce a large number of modifications of this simulator. But nevertheless, they all have three obligatory elements: a welded frame for a stable and stable position of the projectile, a narrow seat for the athlete and a stop (there may be several of them) with soft bolsters for fixing the feet. The most advanced models allow you to change the angle and adjust the seat for the growth of the wrestler.

How to use the Roman chair

The photo depicting this projectile speaks for itself. A person who wants to work on his press, sits on a support cushion, fixes the legs under the rollers so that they are placed under the bend of the foot, winds his hands behind his head or crosses over his chest and starts training. Depending on what kind of muscles a person wants to develop, a personal complex of exercises is made and work begins on improving his body.

Examples of techniques for a personal lesson plan

As is known, the human press consists of the upper transverse muscles of the abdomen, the lower rectus muscles and the lateral oblique muscles. All people have this set, of course, the same, but the shape of the cubes is different for everyone, and you can only affect their drawing and size. For the development of transverse muscles, it is convenient to sit on a Roman chair and cross your arms on the chest so that the palms touch the deltoid muscles. The exercise consists in lowering the trunk at a right angle (90 °) and instant lifting with a slight bending of the upper part of the body. The number of repetitions for each will be individual, and the orientation is based on the appearance of a feeling of contraction of the trained abdominal muscles. Watch your breathing: lowering your body - inhaling, lifting - exhaling. If you need to work oblique muscles of the body, then the starting position remains unchanged, but the right hand should be placed behind the head, and the left hand - put on the stomach. When lifting the body, try to touch the right leg with the right elbow. After the specified number of repetitions, the hands change. To increase the load, you can try to reach the opposite leg with your elbow (left to right and vice versa). If your press is well developed and these exercises are given easily, you can use the Roman chair for exercises with weights. It should be noted that the load on the back increases, and if there were any injuries before, then it is better to abstain from using extra weight. As an aggravation, the usual pancake from the bar is best, which is convenient to press your hands to your chest. It is not worth much weight, as in this case the muscles of the hips begin to take some of the load on themselves, and the meaning of the exercise is somewhat lost. It remains to add how much the Roman chair costs. The price for this shell varies in a very wide range, ranging from simple options for $ 160 and ending with adjustable modifications, the cost of which can reach $ 2,000.