When
you think of the glamour body parts to train in the gym, you often
think first of the so-called “mirror muscles.” These are the muscles
that every guy loves to train, and the ones that you can always see
easily—chest, arms, abs, and shoulders.
But
if you really want to that perfect superhero physique, you have to
build a ripped and chiseled back, too. Specifically, you have to hit
your lats, the wide, fan-shaped muscles that loom large along your back.
The perfect physique doesn’t really come together without a muscular
back that tapers in width from shoulders to waist. And that taper is
really a product of lat development.
Training
your lats, however, feels boring to some and daunting to others,
because sometimes, we think of pull-ups as our only option. But there
are a host of exercises that can get the job done. Here are 10 moves
that will really develop your lats. Make sure you’re hitting two or
three of these moves at least once a week to round out your physique.
A Quick Lats Anatomy Lesson
In
order to work your lats you have to understand them at least a little:
They’re the large, triangle-shaped muscles on the back, creating a thick
taper from shoulder to waist. The muscle inserts into the upper part of
the humerus, your upper arm bone, from the inside. Their purpose is
main two-fold: Your lats primarily work when you pull things, and when
you adduct things. What’s adduction? Raise your arms out to your sides,
forming a “T” with your torso. Now lower them forcefully back to your
sides. That forceful lowering action is adduction.
This
all means that traditional rowing motions with your arms by your sides
pulling straight back will impact your lats. Get too wide with your grip
on a row though, and you begin to see more involvement from the rear
deltoid and middle traps. Researchers have also found there could be
some mild advantages from pulling with a medium grip width specifically
in the vertical plane. In both the upward and downward path of the
movement there were some small advantages from a muscular recruitment
standpoint the the medium grip which seemed to be just right.
The 10 Best Lats Exercises:
The
classic barbell deadlift is often thought of as a hamstring and glute
developer, but it’ll smoke your lats too. Think about it: Whether you’re
lifting or lowering that barbell with a heavy weight, it’s hanging from
your arms, and your back muscles have to pull. Don’t underrate this
move as a foundation of a solid back.
How to: Load
a barbell with weight on the ground and stand close to it, so it nearly
touches your shins. Grasp it with an overhand,
slightly-wider-than-shoulder-width grip. With feet shoulder-width apart
and arms just outside of the legs, push the hips back as far as possible
then bend the knee far enough to reach the bar. From the bottom
position with a tall spine, pull the bar from the ground by standing
tall and pulling the hips back to your standing position. Throughout the
movement, it's important to maintain a strong posture.
Barbell Row
Fixed
moves with both arms can maximize the amount of weight that can move.
This move is a staple in most bodybuilders, athletes, and probably your
routine by this point.
The
great thing about the barbell row is, due to required stability in the
spine and core muscles (keeping a neutral spine) and isometric hamstring
activity (hinging the hips in a bent position), the action becomes a
global pull exercise," says athlete performance and development
specialist https://keranfitness.blogspot.com/"I
personally love programming this exercise due to all the benefits the
rows have on the posterior chain, as well as the added benefits of
improvement of strength and hypertrophy."
The
movement is versatile, too. "You can program this as a primary or
accessory movement or add as a superset exercise," Shannon continues.
"Depending on the weight and readiness of the athlete, avoid keeping
moderate to heavy lifts under ten reps. Being bent over moving the
weight can put added pressure on the lower back, especially if we are
already, or begin to, fatigue."
How to: Stand
next to a loaded barbell set on the ground. Bend your knees slightly
and hinge forward so your torso is slightly higher than parallel to the
ground, then grab the barbell using an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
Look down, not forward. Tighten your core. Hinge upwards, raising your
torso to a 45-degree angle with the ground and lifting the barbell. This
is the starting position.
Keeping
your core tight and your shoulder blades squeezed, bend your elbows and
pull the barbell to your lower chest. Aim to keep your elbows at a
45-degree angle relative to your torso as you do this, and try to touch
the bar to your ribcage. Lower to the start with control. That's 1 rep.
Dumbbell Row:
This
is one of the first variations novice lifters learn. You simply hinge
forward, place one arm on a bench or rack for balance, and grasp a
dumbbell in the other arm. Keep your torso steady as you bend your elbow
and use your back muscles to pull the dumbbell up toward your ribcage.
Dumbbell rows involve a host of back muscles, but if you want to focus
on your lats here, aim to get a good stretch at the bottom of the
motion.
How to: Start
standing, holding a single dumbbell in your right hand. Now hinge
forward until your torso is nearly parallel with the ground. Keep your
core tight and your feet shoulder-width apart as you do this. Place your
left hand on a box or bench for balance. This is the start. Pull the
dumbbell back to just above your belly button, then slowly return it
back to the start.
Pullups and Chinups
https://keranfitness.blogspot.com/
The
pull-up and the chin-up are well-known moves, and staples for lat
development. Both moves are simple: You hang from a bar, with an
overhand grip (pull-ups) or an underhand grip (chin-ups), and pull your
chest to the bar. To really hit your lats, avoid the so-called “kip,” a
Crossfit idea that has you explosively swinging your hips to create
momentum that drives your chest to the bar. Work up to 3 sets of 10.
How to: Hang
from a pull-up bar with an overhand (pull-up) or underhand (chin-up)
grip, hands about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core tight, bend at
the elbows and shoulders and pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then
lower with control.
The
lat pulldown is a cousin of pullups and chinups, and it definitely
seems similar. But we’re giving it its own spot here because of how it
lets you focus in on your lats. Freed of grip concerns and the need to
manage your lower body perfectly, you can really focus in on your lats
and finish off every rep with a good squeeze.
Be
strategic once you start adding the pulldown to your workouts. "This
exercise can be programmed as a superset to an upper body push
exercise," says Shannon "It can be programmed as a progressive exercise
to help advance to wide grip pull ups. And lastly, used as an activation
exercise to help get the lat muscles 'firing'."
How to: Sit
in a lat pulldown station and grab the bar above with a grip slightly
wider than shoulder-width. Tighten your core and keep your torso
upright. Pull the bar down toward your chest, bending at your elbows and
squeezing your shoulder blades. Slowly return the bar to the top of the
station.
"The
key to getting the biggest 'bang for your buck' is keeping your torso
not completely erect, but at about a 60 percent angle," says Shannon.
"As well as focusing on tempo and control to get that concentric
(lowering the bar) and eccentric (raising the bar) effect."
You can also try a kneeling variation, shown in the video above.
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The
landmine row has a lot in common with the barbell row, except the angle
of your pull is slightly different. The landmine row, with the barbell
anchored behind you, lets you get more of a squeeze with your lats. And
because it’s anchored, you cheat less and squeeze a little bit more.
How to: Set
a barbell in a landmine and place some weight on the opposite end of
the barbell. Wrap a V-bar handle around the weighted end and grasp its
handles. Hinge forward so your torso is at a 45-degree angle with the
ground; this is the start. Squeeze your shoulder blades and row the
weighted end of the barbell toward your chest; pause, then return to the
start.
Dumbbell Pullover
The
dumbbell pullover is viewed as a chest exercise by some, and it’ll hit
your abs considerably too. But as you pull the weight back above your
torso, your upper arms mimic a row motion. And the best part comes
before that: your lats wind up getting a great stretch as you lower the
weight.
How to: Lie
with your back on a bench, holding a single dumbbell overhead with both
hands, gripping the weight instead of the bar. Keep your arms straight
as you lower the weight in an arc behind your head. Once you feel a
stretch in your chest, pause, then pull it back to the starting
position. As you pull it back, your lats come into play, driving the
motion. Think 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps here.
Meadows Row
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The
brainchild of bodybuilder John Meadows, the Meadows row has you
approaching the landmine from a different angle for a vicious single-arm
row. The angle forces the resistance to travel both up and away,
challenging you to pull explosively near the top.
How to: Stand
next to a landmine, facing away, your outside leg about 6 inches from
the end of the barbell and your back leg in a staggered stance behind
you. Hinge forward so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the ground,
and rest your outside hand on your outside leg. Grip the bar with an
overhand grip with your inside hand. Tighten your core. This is the
start. Now row the bar to the bottom of your chest. Squeeze. Lower with
control.
Renegade Row
This
CrossFit staple lets you train your lats while building shoulder
stability at the same time. It’ll also challenge your core. You’ll find
yourself using lighter weights than you might on other motions, too,
which means you’ll have a good opportunity to finish each rep with a
squeeze. Just sit this one out if you have shoulder issues.
How to: Get
in pushup position, with your hands on a pair of dumbbells in a neutral
grip, and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Do a pushup. As you
raise your torso, lift one dumbbell off the ground and row it toward
your belly button; you’ll need to support your weight with your other
shoulder. Return to the pushup position, then lift and row the other
dumbbell. Alternate the first dumbbell you row with during every pushup
rep.
Inverted Bodyweight Row
This
row has you lying underneath a bar, tightening your entire torso, then
rowing your chest to the bar. It’ll challenge your abs and glutes, but
expect it to be hard. The good news: It’s an incredibly scale-able
bodyweight move: Make it easier by raising the bar higher and assuming a
position closer to standing. Or make it easier by bending your knees
and planting your heels into the floor (instead of maintaining a fully
straight line from shoulders through feet).
How to: Lie
under a barbell or Smith machine and grab the bar with an underhand
grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Position your feet and torso so
that you’re at a 45-degree angle with the ground. Squeeze your shoulder
blades; this is the start. Now pull your torso and body upwards, aiming
to touch the bar between belly button and chest. Lower back to the
start. That’s 1 rep.
The
deadstop row is similar to the barbell row, except after each rep, you
lower the bar all the way to the ground, bringing it to a dead stop.
This gives you a chance to reset your form and tighten your core, and if
you struggle with grip strength on the barbell row, it gives your
forearms a break. The result: You move more weight, but without
sacrificing form or risking injury.
How to: Setup
for this is very similar to a barbell row. Once again, you stand next
to a loaded barbell set on the ground. Bend your knees slightly and
hinge forward so your torso is slightly higher than parallel to the
ground, then grab the barbell using an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
Look down, not forward. Tighten your core, and make sure your hips are
slightly lower than your shoulders. This is the start. Keeping your core
tight and your shoulder blades squeezed, bend your elbows and pull the
barbell to your lower chest. Aim to keep your elbows at a 45-degree
angle relative to your torso as you do this, and try to touch the bar to
your ribcage. Lower the barbell all the way to the ground, and let it
come to rest (a dead stop) on the ground, then begin the next rep.