Help My Lats!

[Pirate!]

I only do lat pulldowns for my lats, and they never seem to grow like my other muscles. They are the first exercise of my back workout, so I have plenty of energy. Any suggestions on other exercises or supersets would be appreciated.

 

[Robboe]

Try using a different grip. If your gym has the hammer-grip bar, try that.

Make sure you're pulling with your back and trying to minimise the amount of bicep encorporation into the lift.

Use full ROM on all exercises.

Do rows also. Heavy.

 

[Pirate!]

Try using a different grip. If your gym has the hammer-grip bar, try that.

Make sure you're pulling with your back and trying to minimise the amount of bicep encorporation into the lift.

Use full ROM on all exercises.

Do rows also. Heavy.

I'll try the Hammer grip. I thought that would make the bis work more. I do full range of motion, but the bottom end is the weakest--which is probably the case with most. I do heavy rows. I usually row about the same or more than what I bench. Thanks.

 

[Robboe]

I'll try the Hammer grip. I thought that would make the bis work more. I do full range of motion, but the bottom end is the weakest--which is probably the case with most. I do heavy rows. I usually row about the same or more than what I bench. Thanks.

Technically the HG does bring the biceps more into play, but not as much as using an supsinated grip, and allows you to lift a bit heavier than with a pronated grip. However, it's just another angle to try if your current method isn't working.

But like i said, focus on the mind-muscle jazz and try to pull with your back to your best efforts.

 

[Pirate!]

 

[Rissole]

How about changing it up a bit, WG pullups, narrow grip pullups,stiff arm pulldowns are great. Db pullovers, rows of all different sorts.... different rep ranges....
Don't expect any great growth form doing the same thing over and over...

 

[min0 lee]

You have to feel it

Lat Pulldowns
Attach a straight bar to a high pulley. Grab the bar a bit wider then shoulder width. Sit or kneel in front of the pull down machine. Straighten your arms and let your lats stretch. Hold this position for a second. Arch your back slightly and pull the bar down in front of your head until the bar is just below your chin. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction. Slowly straighten your arms to the starting position. Repeat.

see example at ExRx.net:
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBFrontPulldown.html


People tend to involve too much of there bicep in back exercises, concentrate on only your back. Picture your arms as hooks

 

[min0 lee]

Bent over rows are great.

 

[Pirate!]

How about changing it up a bit, WG pullups, narrow grip pullups,stiff arm pulldowns are great. Db pullovers, rows of all different sorts.... different rep ranges....
Don't expect any great growth form doing the same thing over and over...

I change grip width with every set, but usually use a pronated grip. I alternate between a 4-7 rep range and an 8-11 rep range every two weeks or so. I can't think of what a stiff arm pulldown is at the moment.

 

[min0 lee]

Do you feel it more in your arms or lats?

 

[soxmuscle]

This past week I probably had my biggest lat soreness I have ever had, and I think it was because I was doing not only weighted pullups, but immediately following the set of pullups to failure I did 10 negatives which took about 10 seconds per rep and really felt good at the conclusion.

I would definitly inquire negatives into your workout somehow, someway. They are excellent.

 

[LAM]

This past week I probably had my biggest lat soreness I have ever had, and I think it was because I was doing not only weighted pullups, but immediately following the set of pullups to failure I did 10 negatives which took about 10 seconds per rep and really felt good at the conclusion.

I would definitly inquire negatives into your workout somehow, someway. They are excellent.

the eccentric portion of any lift causes the most amount of trauma to skeletal muscle. heavy eccentric training is optimum for hypertrophy...

 

[BigDyl]

My lats never get sore...

 

[Flex]

Any suggestions on other exercises or supersets would be appreciated.

Row, Row, Row your lats,
Aiming towards a V,
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,
To get as wide as can be.

Thanks ladies and gentlemen, i'm here all night.

FLEX

p.s. make sure you're pulling with your back, not your arms. that's why 90% of peoples' backs suck (as well as every other muscle)

 

[Mudge]

I believe in the old childrens saying, row row row your boat...

But, I'd sooner do pullups than whimpy pulldowns.

 

[soxmuscle]

Row, Row, Row your lats,
Aiming towards a V,
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,
To get as wide as can be.

Thanks ladies and gentlemen, i'm here all night.

FLEX

p.s. make sure you're pulling with your back, not your arms. that's why 90% of peoples' backs suck (as well as every other muscle)

Well done.

*clap*

 

[CowPimp]

I'm all about rows and pullups. I don't screw around with pulldowns. Occasionally I incorporate pullovers into my routine though, but rarely.

 

[soxmuscle]

I'm all about rows and pullups. I don't screw around with pulldowns. Occasionally I incorporate pullovers into my routine though, but rarely.

It's interesting, on this board everyone is pro pullups while on bb.com everyones pro pulldown.

 

[DimebagDarrell]

make sure the rows are wide-grip. and get a weighted belt and do pullups. way better than cable pulldowns. yechhh.

 

[Rissole]

I change grip width with every set, but usually use a pronated grip. I alternate between a 4-7 rep range and an 8-11 rep range every two weeks or so. I can't think of what a stiff arm pulldown is at the moment.

 

[Robboe]

Ahh, so like a standing cable pullover. Gotcha.



Personally, i'm not a fan of pullups because for me, i don't think it's as easy to focus on the target muscle.

 

[min0 lee]

It's interesting, on this board everyone is pro pullups while on bb.com everyones pro pulldown.

Thats because we have real men here. Even the woman here are more men than BB's men.

 

[CowPimp]

It's interesting, on this board everyone is pro pullups while on bb.com everyones pro pulldown.

That is interesting. I just dislike machines, except for a few. That is my personal bias. However, pulldown aren't too bad because they are attached to a cable, so the motion can be fairly natural. Even so...

Personally, i'm not a fan of pullups because for me, i don't think it's as easy to focus on the target muscle.

Really wide pullups make it fairly easy to target the lats in my opinion. As well, I find CG supinated chinups to be excellent for bicep development.

 

[Mudge]

Pulldowns hit my biceps too hard. Levronne also seperated his tricep doing them, I just dont like them so whenever I do them at all they are light and slow.

 

[min0 lee]

Pulldowns hit my biceps too hard. Levronne also seperated his tricep doing them, I just dont like them so whenever I do them at all they are light and slow.

That's one of the reason I go a lot lighter on them.

Funny thing is that ever since I have gone lighter and stricter I feel it more on my back.

 

[ponyboy]

It's interesting, on this board everyone is pro pullups while on bb.com everyones pro pulldown.

Everyone on bb.com is 120 pounds and 14 years old. They can't reach the pullup bar.

 

[Mudge]

I almost mentioned that but didn't want to look like I was slamming them

 

[soxmuscle]

Everyone on bb.com is 120 pounds and 14 years old. They can't reach the pullup bar.

Point Taken.

 

[soxmuscle]

Ahh, so like a standing cable pullover. Gotcha.



Personally, i'm not a fan of pullups because for me, i don't think it's as easy to focus on the target muscle.

Me too. I find it quite hard to pullup, tighten my back, hold, and then lower slowly.

 

[Pirate!]

Thanks. I used to do these, but with a shoulder-width grip. Maybe I'll stand up after my Lat pulls and superset with these.