Thread: lats

pullups are great but they cannot replace lat pull downs , with lat pull downs you can do better form and you can use different angles like you can do them straight back or you can lean backwards , and can also use different grip bars...pullups alone are limited.

so should i even cut them in?

I wouldn't, just ask someone to hold your feet for a spot and concentrate on using your back and not the arms. I see so many people at the gym using their arms!!!

Lat pull downs are the best imo. You can vary grip and angles to hit different points. Chin ups hurt my shoulders ALOT!

Or you could do both. Do pull downs first one workout, pull ups first the next.

i did the pulldowns, then chinups to failure at the end. I could only get like 5-7 reps on the chins.

Originally Posted by Bonesaw

i did the pulldowns, then chinups to failure at the end. I could only get like 5-7 reps on the chins.

That's fine, you'll get stronger as you go on.

On the topic of back heres my whole back/bicep/shoulder day

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
DB Curl
DB Lateral Raises
Bent Over BB Row
Shoulder Shrug
Rear Delt Flyes
Preacher Curls
Hammer curls
Chinups

Anything you'd change out?

I'd do back and then biceps one day and move shoulders to another day. Plus, IMO you have too many curl movements. Biceps get torched on back day, add too much direct work and they never recover.

Originally Posted by D-Latsky

Lat pull downs are the best imo. You can vary grip and angles to hit different points. Chin ups hurt my shoulders ALOT!

Chins are a better mass builder I thought. You can vary grip etc also.

I suck at them due to my shit size to strength ratio but throw them in them anyway. This year I'll be working on my chins.

Originally Posted by Bonesaw

On the topic of back heres my whole back/bicep/shoulder day

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
DB Curl
DB Lateral Raises
Bent Over BB Row
Shoulder Shrug
Rear Delt Flyes
Preacher Curls
Hammer curls
Chinups

Anything you'd change out?

I hope this^^^ isn't the order you are doing them in...

If it is change it. Always go largest muscle to smallest muscle... I would also change the Shoulders to another day. keep it just Back, bi's...

If you are dead set on the above movements and sets I would go...

Bent over barbell row...
Wide grip Lat pull down
Chinups- this will get the bi's warmed up and pumped for bi's...
DB curl...
Preacher curl...
Hammer curl...

Good luck...

ahh fuck it anyone got a good routine I could follow. What I was doing above is part of a 3 day chest/tri, bi/back/shoulders, legs.

Originally Posted by theCaptn'

Chins are a better mass builder I thought. You can vary grip etc also.

I suck at them due to my shit size to strength ratio but throw them in them anyway. This year I'll be working on my chins.

Just keep eating pop-tarts. You'll have those two chins eventually!

I like doing pull-downs, but varying the grip each time.

Originally Posted by theCaptn'

Chins are a better mass builder I thought. You can vary grip etc also.

I suck at them due to my shit size to strength ratio but throw them in them anyway. This year I'll be working on my chins.

I guess for some. My on shoulder pops in and out so there basically impossible for me to do, and ive built a fairly decent back so far without them

Nothing better then close grip pulldowns.I like them alote more then wide grip.Pullovers are very good also for lats.

thanks for the responses.

Do pull up with body weight as a warm up then go to bent rows for the lower lats then reverse close grip pull downs. Then I'd you want a seated row or wide grip pull downs ( last 2 are for witch area you need to work more)

If your trying to do a three day split I would do chest/shoulders/tris one day and back/traps/bis another. Then just have a regular leg day.

Heavy dumbell rows with a big stretch at bottom and keep good form and use straps for grip will definitely increase width also.

should i go more this route? 4 Day Split Workout: Back & Biceps / Chest & Triceps / Thighs / Shoulders, Calves & Abs
or post other ideas

o do both i star with chin ups then do pull downs i can do more then my body weight on pull downs so i say do both works for me i warm up with chin ups i'm light tho 165lbs can do 200lbs on pull downs with my legs locked under the machine

lats:
-front pull downs wide grip straight back 3 sets
- heavy bb row superset with light front pull down leaning back or cable rows 3 sets
- front pull down close grip palms facing you 3 sets
- light weight behind neck pull down 2 sets or chin ups

recently been using the hammer strength plate loaded front row /pull down..and all i can tell you ..wow

Nothing beats weighted chins wide grip/close grip for lat development.

Lat pulldowns are good as a finisher when you have already semi-exhausted your lats, but aren't the best for mass building.

Originally Posted by GMO

Nothing beats weighted chins wide grip/close grip for lat development.

Lat pulldowns are good as a finisher when you have already semi-exhausted your lats, but aren't the best for mass building.

chins are good but not every body can do 12 reps+ too much stress on biceps and shoulders. lat pull downs are similar and more concentrated.
for mass and depth building bent over Barbell rows work for me.
then again each person is different, i was built naturally with big low set lats and been doing chins since a kid so i am not sure if i have lats because of chins or the other way around i am good at chins because of my natural lats ...

Originally Posted by GMO

Nothing beats weighted chins wide grip/close grip for lat development.

Lat pulldowns are good as a finisher when you have already semi-exhausted your lats, but aren't the best for mass building.

This for me^^^

Weighted pull and chin ups brought my lats out more than lat pulldowns ever did... I also do hammer grip pull ups, I feel mixing all 3 hits all angles...

on topic of lats, which is better pulldown? to chest or behind head?

Originally Posted by Bonesaw

on topic of lats, which is better pulldown? to chest or behind head?

in my experience, to the clavicle (bone across top of chest). If you try them both ways I think you'll feel your lats working more with the bar to the front.

I see some people pull all the way down to the sternum or lap though and that looks stupid to me....almost a tricep pushdown. Just do the same angle and range of motion you would do with a pullup

clavicle is what I meant. I asked some gym bro and he said behind the head will give you more of that v look, so I thought about it for a second and realized I already had the v and never did it behind my head.