To be honest, knowing muscle abbreviations is like remembering text lingo. Quads, traps, delts, glutes the list goes on and on. However, your lats should not be overlooked. They’re the massive muscles that go from the back of your shoulders to your hips, and they’re in charge of everything from tugging to posture.
While these are significant themes that should not be overlooked, there are several additional muscles in your body that require attention. It’s not like back training is as mysterious as figuring out how to acquire bigger calves or how to obtain bigger shoulders.
Training your lats, on the other hand, might be tedious for some and intimidating for others because we often consider pull-ups to be our only choice. However, there are a variety of activities that may be used to complete the task. Here are some exercises that will strengthen your lats. To fill out your body, make sure you do two or three of these movements at least once a week.
Lat Exercises Workout For Building strong Muscle
This list can be used in the following ways: Include 2 to 3 of these exercises in your cross-training routine, and complete for the repetitions and sets specified. Jess Movold, a Runner’s World+ coach, demonstrates each technique so you may learn how to do it correctly. A dumbbell and/or kettlebell, as well as a resistance band with handles, are required.
1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Begin in a high lunge stance with the dumbbell in the left hand and the left foot back. Hinge at the hips, maintaining both knees softly bent, and support with the right forearm across the right leg. Shoulders, chest, and hips should all be parallel to the floor. To lift the dumbbell up to the chest, move the elbow of the working arm toward the hip from a fully extended posture. Hold for two seconds before lowering yourself back down. With each arm, perform three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
2. Deadlifts
Begin in a high lunge stance with the dumbbell in the left hand and the left foot back. Hinge at the hips, maintaining both knees softly bent, and support with the right forearm across the right leg. Shoulders, chest, and hips should all be parallel to the floor. To lift the dumbbell up to the chest, move the elbow of the working arm toward the hip from a fully extended posture. Hold for two seconds before lowering yourself back down. With each arm, perform three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
3. LAT PULLDOWN
Lat pulldowns, whether performed with a wide or tight grip, are a fantastic technique to work your lats. To accomplish them, you’ll need a cable machine, which you can get at the gym or purchase at home if you have the funds.
Set the weight, hold the handle, and sit on the bench with your knees tucked behind the support padding. Bend slightly backwards, so you’re staring up at an angle at the ceiling. Draw the bar closer to your chest.
Lat pulldowns are most effective when performed gently. It’s probably better to approach weight training from the perspective of slow and steady wins the race.’ Even though you’re using fewer weights, you’re using your muscles for far longer than if you merely yank the bar up and down. Slowly performing exercises improves the effectiveness of the training.
4. Alternating Bent-Over Row
How to do it: Grab your weights and stand neck apart with your knees slightly bent. Bend forward from your hips to drop your chest to the floor, arms straight from shoulders and palms facing your body. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you brace your core and bring one weight toward your rib cage. Return to the starting position after a brief pause. Rep on the other side. That counts as one rep. Perform 20 repetitions.
5. Renegade Row
Start in a high plank posture with two dumbbells in each hand, wrists under shoulders, and core engaged so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels and your feet are in a wide stance. Gently lift the right hand and dumbbell up to the rib cage with your back engaged, then slowly lower the weight to the floor. Rep on the other side. Alternate for a while. With each arm, perform three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
6. Pullups and Chinups
Pull-ups and chin-ups are well-known activities that are essential for lat development. Both actions are straightforward: Pull your chest to the bar while hanging from a bar with an overhand grasp (pull-ups) or an underhand grip (chin-ups). Avoid the so-called “kip,” a Crossfit concept in which you explosively swing your hips to produce momentum that propels your chest to the bar. Work your way up to three sets of ten.
Hands approximately shoulder-width apart, hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand (pull-up) or underhand (chin-up) grip. Bend your elbows and shoulders and lift your chest to the bar while keeping your core firm. Lower with control after a brief pause.
7. BENT OVER BARBELL ROW/ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW
Bent over rows are also on our full-body workout list since they are one of the most important exercises you can do at home or at the gym. All you’ll need is a barbell or a dumbbell to get started (or dumbbells).
Standing up and gently bending the knees while gripping the barbell with an underhand grip, a bent-over barbell row is executed. In a rowing action, pull the barbell towards your belly button (rather than your chest).
The one-armed dumbbell row is a different variation. Rest one leg and one arm on the bench, while the other, free-hanging hand holds the dumbbell in a hammer grip. Pull the dumbbell to your belly button (not your chest!) and then lower it. After you’ve completed the set, repeat with the opposite arm.
As you do the row, focus on muscular activation.
8. Plank Pull-Through
Place a barbell near your right hand and begin in a high plank posture with wrists under shoulders and core engaged so that your body creates a straight line from head to heels. Shift the weight to the left side of the body, then reach below and across with your right hand to grip the weight and slide it under your right palm. Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions, returning right palm to floor, grabbing weight with left hand, and pulling left for one rep.
9. Landmine Row
The landmine row is similar to the barbell row, with the exception that the angle of your pull is somewhat different. With the barbell tethered behind you, the landmine row allows you to strain your lats harder. You cheat less and squeeze a little more since it’s anchored.
Set a barbell in a landmine and place some weight on the barbell’s opposite end. Grab the grips of a V-bar handle and wrap it around the weighted end. The first step is to hinge forward so that your body is at a 45-degree angle with the ground. Row the weighted end of the barbell toward your chest while squeezing your shoulder blades; pause, then repeat.
10. Underhand Bent-Over Row
How to do it: Grab your weights and stand shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Bend forward from your hips to drop your chest to the floor, arms straight from your shoulders and palms facing up. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and draw the weights into your rib cage, bracing your core. Return to the starting position after a brief pause. That counts as one rep. Perform 20 repetitions.
REMEMBER TO EAT PROTEIN
You must pay attention to what you consume in order to grow lean muscle mass. The phrase “you are what you eat” is absolutely accurate; your body can only create muscles with the stuff you eat. Expect slow results if you continue to feed it burgers and pizza.
You won’t need a lot of vitamins to help your body develop, either. You’ll only need protein powder and creatine monohydrates if you stick to a balanced diet that includes mostly “good carbohydrates” like quinoa, buckwheat, or oats and “good fats” like those found in avocados, fish, and nuts.
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.