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This blog will mainly focus on the latissimus dorsi muscle, what it is, and some exercises you can do to target it. The lats, also known as the latissimus dorsi muscle, is a broad, flat muscle that occupies most of the posterior trunk (excluding the trapezius muscle). The latissimus dorsi belongs to the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles, along with the levator scapulae, trapezius and rhomboid muscles. It functions to stabilize your back while your shoulders are moving - practically helping pull your body weight up.
This blog will mainly focus on the latissimus dorsi muscle, what it is, and some exercises you can do to target it. The lats, also known as the latissimus dorsi muscle, is a broad, flat muscle that occupies most of the posterior trunk (excluding the trapezius muscle). The latissimus dorsi belongs to the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles, along with the levator scapulae, trapezius and rhomboid muscles. It functions to stabilize your back while your shoulders are moving - practically helping pull your body weight up.
What exactly is the lats muscle?
The lats, also known as the latissimus dorsi muscle, is a broad, flat muscle that occupies most of the posterior trunk (excluding the trapezius muscle). The latissimus dorsi belongs to the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles, along with the levator scapulae, trapezius and rhomboid muscles. It functions to stabilize your back while your shoulders are moving - practically helping pull your body weight up. This muscle is very active in the process of bending your side (lateral flexion) and bringing the shoulder girdle down (depression). Similar to the trapezius, the latissimus dorsi is also an accessory breathing muscle, enhancing movements of the trunk during inhalation and exhalation. As a result, it is important to learn about the various ways to grow or strengthen your lats to avoid injury during common activities such as gymnastics or baseball.
Lateral Pulldowns - Requirement: “Lat Pulldown” Machine
Lateral Pulldowns - Requirement: “Lat Pulldown” Machine
Lateral pulldowns are a seated position and multi joint upper body exercise primarily centered around the growth of the upper back, shoulder girdle, and bicep muscles. It is one of many compound exercises you will find in the gym - although being important to the growth of the latissimus dorsi muscle.
To perform a lateral pulldown, you’ll want to begin with:
- Start by sitting at a lateral pulldown machine, Adjust the knee pad so your knees are bent at 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor.
- Reach up and grab the bar, extend your arms as much as you can without shrugging your shoulders or lifting off the seat.
- Pull the bar down toward your upper chest, just below your collarbone. - Keep your body straight and in a slight backward lean.
- Hold the bar at your mid to upper chest for 1–2 seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired amount of reps and sets.
A number of lifters use lateral pulldowns to target the back and improve posture. However, seeing as this is a compound exercise, these benefits are spread across the body (From the chest to forearms). This movement is beneficial to swimmers, rugby players, and wrestlers because each requires a great amount of back strength. This should not limit your usage of lateral pulldowns, though. Exercising any part of the body - especially the latissimus dorsi - strengthens your bones making you less prone to bone-related diseases and allows for greater control of scapular motion.
Pull-ups - Requirement: A Stable Bar
Pull-ups - Requirement: A Stable Bar
A pull-up is a close chained movement where the body is suspended in the air and pulled up vertically via the lats, biceps, traps, and forearm muscles. For most people, the pull-up is too difficult to begin their journey with. Instead, alternatives such as pull-up negatives or machine assisted pull ups should be completed as a ramp up effort.
To perform a pull-up- follow these steps:
- Start by standing directly below a pull-up bar. Place your hands in an overhand grip with your hands slightly further than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your feet up from the floor so that you’re hanging from the bar, and engage your core. Pull your shoulders back and down.
- Engaging the muscles in your arms and back, bend your elbows and raise your upper body up toward the bar until your chin is over the bar.
- Avoid swinging your legs around or shrugging your shoulders up.
- At the top of the movement, inhale. Then extend your elbows and lower your body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps and sets.
Performing this exercise is essential for upper back growth. Despite its difficulty, the rewards reign supreme. Practicing lat-building pull-ups can make actions such as lifting a box off the floor much easier than in the past. As pull-ups get easier, progressing to weighted or variated pull-ups can help establish hypertrophy following muscle adaptation.
Seated Cable Row - Requirement: Cable Row Machine
Seated Cable Row - Requirement: Cable Row Machine
The seated cable row is a compound exercise primarily targeting the middle back and arms. Adding the seated cable row into your traps routine can significantly increase your gains and add variation to your past or current exercises that you perform.
A seated cable row is done through these following steps:
- Take a seat with your feet planted, a little wider than shoulder width and grab onto the cable handle.
- Sit up straight with a slight bend at the knees.
- Maintain a perpendicular angle to the floor with your torso.
- Roll the shoulders back and down, as you do this, pull the handle back towards you, landing right above your belly button.
- Pause for a moment before returning the handle, still squeezing the shoulder blades, and as you return, relax the shoulder blades.
- Repeat for the desired amount of reps and sets.
The seated cable row is a commonly misunderstood exercise. Oftentimes, lifters do not control the strength during this movement, rocking when going back and repping the weight out for a quick and easy set. This couldn’t be more wrong. During the row, it's vital to always keep your torso 90 degrees to the ground on the way back. If you find yourself unable to do this, it's better to lower the weight than to ego lift and gain no benefit from it.
Takeaway
Takeaway
The latissimus dorsi is essential to everyday life. Strengthening and developing this muscle group can improve proper spinal alignment and reduce risk of injury while performing everyday tasks. The lats serve a strong role in athletics such as swimming and rock climbing, bringing power from the legs to the upper body. Consequently, these promoted exercises may help you begin to build up your lats and serve as a good starting foundation for physical activity now and in your future.
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Written By: Brooks
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