Thread: excercises that widen upper back/lats

do a search for wide grip pull ups and use my name and you will find threads were I disuss the biomechanics of both wide and close grip pull ups.

wide-grip pullups for sure.... i like one-arm DB rows too. streches the lats real good.

for lat width I would do wide grip pull-ups and pull-downs.

but do not neglect other parts of the back, rows are very important as well.

BE THE “WING” MAN!

One of the most impressive things about a bodybuilder is the infamous “V” taper. The type of shape that makes it look like you can jump off a cliff, spread your lats, and use them to hang glide! Both in and out of clothes a wide back makes the waist look smaller and lends an aesthetic appeal to the physique like no other bodypart. If there is one muscle group that can make you stand out in a crowd, no matter which direction you may be facing, it is a well-developed back! Problem is, I see dozens of trainees toiling away in the gym, doing set after set on the lat pulldown machine, using a wide grip, a close grip, an underhand grip…pulling in front and to the back, and yet…so few people getting stuck in doorways! So what is the problem? Well, there are several:


WRONG EXERCISES: Although pulldowns are a great exercise, they cannot replace the true back builders like pull-ups, seated rows, barbell rows, T-bar rows, dumbbell rows, and even deadlifts. If these exercises do not form the foundation of your back routine, than you are doomed to be “narrow” forever!


BAD FORM: This is perhaps the most prevalent problem in faulty back training. Usually one or all of these mistakes are made when training back…a) Using too much weight causing all kinds of swinging and use of mainly the biceps, b) Failure to set the body correctly during the movement. You must keep your chest out, shoulders back, and a slight arch in your lower back. When you pull the weight you must squeeze your shoulder blades together and contract the lats, c) Not using a thumbless grip, which can cause way too much bicep stimulation.


LACK OF PULLOVERS/ STIFF-ARM PULLDOWNS: These exercises truly isolate the teres muscle, right under the armpit, and can make you look much wider in and of themselves. These two movements do not involve the biceps and allow you to truly focus on expanding you lats.

Here is a sample back workout:


Wide grip pull-ups- 2x 8-10
Underhand grip bent rows- 2 x 6-8
CG seated rows- 2 x 10-12
Cross bench pullovers- 2 x 12-15
Partial deadlifts- 2 x 4-6

Put these tips to work at your next back workout and you’ll quickly have a “wider” understanding of what it will take to get that V!

thanks gopro

that was a good reply

my back workout is similar to that, i do:

(2 to 3 sets of each)
wide-grip pull-ups
close-grip (nuetral-grip) pull-ups
BB or DB rows
HammerStrength row machine or CP cable rows
deadlifts
rear-delt flys
pullover machine

just wanted to make sure that i was on the right track.

wow, lots of exercises yeahbuddy

mine is:

pull ups w/ weight.. shoulder width grip
deadlifts
bent-over rows

occasionally i finish with t-bar or seated row

3 sets each

Best back ever right there imo. Just insane.

wow, lots of exercises yeahbuddy

mine is:

pull ups w/ weight.. shoulder width grip
deadlifts
bent-over rows

occasionally i finish with t-bar or seated row

3 sets each

yea i know, but the back is such a huge muscle, i really don't feel sore the next day only doing 3 excercises. also i meant to say i do rear-delt flys or pullover machine. not both.

Originally posted by derekisdman


Best back ever right there imo. Just insane.

Dorian has the best back.

sorry to both you guys. don't get wrong, i love franco's lats and dorian's back is awesome. but let's get serious, you're forgetting the king of back.............

http://www.flexonline.com/mro/final_...s/ddd0121.html

I just follow GoPro's back routine with power, rr, and SHOCK. Works great!!

I'm using gopro's too. Needed a change from my regular routines and I'm luving it! Thx bro!

Originally posted by Darkkmind
I'm using gopro's too. Needed a change from my regular routines and I'm luving it! Thx bro!

How long you done GoPro's for?

I'm on my 4th week. So it's back to power week. I really like the change up from week to week.

Originally posted by Darkkmind
I'm on my 4th week. So it's back to power week. I really like the change up from week to week.

Have your lifts gone up since last power week?

Originally posted by vanity
Periodization is definitely the way to go.

I agree 100%. I love this program now!

I'll see tonight. Had a crazy as storm down here yesterday so i didn't work out last night.

Originally posted by Darkkmind
I'll see tonight. Had a crazy as storm down here yesterday so i didn't work out last night.

Good Luck. I was pleasantly surprised to find most of my lifts increased quite a bit.

Hey Rock u a fan of the Icenwin Dale Trilogy or something?That was a great series of books. Salvatore is a great writer!

Originally posted by Darkkmind
Hey Rock u a fan of the Icenwin Dale Trilogy or something?That was a great series of books. Salvatore is a great writer!

Most definately!! I've read all the books in the series, about 14 or 15 now. How about you?

Yep, I've read them all except for the last 2 books in the Path's of Darkness Series. They any good? I think he should have ended it at the Dark Elf trilogy.

Eh, good parts come and goes. I just like Drizzt! The newest book in the Hunter's blade trilogy just came out. Haven't read that one yet. Currently in the Sword of Truth series of books.

You ever read any of the wheel of time books?

Originally posted by Darkkmind
You ever read any of the wheel of time books?

No, who writes that? Whats it about?

Kinda hard to explain. The author's name is Robert Jordan . You should check it out. Just a warning this series is kinda drawn out. http://www.tor.com/sites/wheel_of_time/

Originally posted by Darkkmind
Kinda hard to explain. The author's name is Robert Jordan . You should check it out. Just a warning this series is kinda drawn out. http://www.tor.com/sites/wheel_of_time/

Thanks, I'll do that!

Pullovers eh?

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BPullover.html

This looks like a good example, but why the hell can't you lie on the bench in the same way one would for bench pressing?

Or is this example just messed up?

I lay on the bench normally, with some good arch in my spine. I am heavy enough that I dont slide off the bench but if you are 150 pounds and using a 150 pound dumbell, I could see it being a problem staying on the bench without hurting yourself.