Lower lats?

[Teddy-G]

A friend asked me today what exercises he could do to work the lower lats. My reply was that the lats are one muscle and there is no upper or lower. He could, however, use a closer grip on BB bent over rows to increase the lat involvement. Also you would get a greater ROM by using an underhand grip on chin ups.

Am I correct? Also, is the shape of your lats dependent entirely on genetics?

 

[Zaphod]

Mostly genetic. Close grip movements tend to activate the lower portion of the muscle more.

 

[boxingorilla]

I have been experimenting with this actually so good post. First thing I have been doing is when I do my wide grip, overhand chin-ups, I push out my chest and try to squeeze my shoulder blades together. Not sure what this does, but I feel the burn more down my whole side.

Second, when doing a dumbell lat raise (when your bent 90 degrees and you are pulling the dumbell up toward your waist like your starting a lawn mower) instead of holding the dumbell parallel to the ground, allow the front of the weight to hang down so the weight is closer to being perpendicular to the ground, and pull up as normal toward your waist (or belt)...this has allowed for a better burn for me.

Hope that helped

 

[LAM]

A friend asked me today what exercises he could do to work the lower lats. My reply was that the lats are one muscle and there is no upper or lower. He could, however, use a closer grip on BB bent over rows to increase the lat involvement. Also you would get a greater ROM by using an underhand grip on chin ups.

Am I correct? Also, is the shape of your lats dependent entirely on genetics?

you are correct...the shape of a muscle is determined by genetics. you can not change the length of a muscle belly, insertion points or the length of tendons and ligaments. muscles either hypertrophy or atrophy except for certain diseases that cause muscle cell death.

 

[boxingorilla]

you are correct...the shape of a muscle is determined by genetics. you can not change the length of a muscle belly, insertion points or the length of tendons and ligaments. muscles either hypertrophy or atrophy except for certain diseases that cause muscle cell death.

Hey good to know! Learn something new everyday....