Pro tips to stimulate lat growth

[aimanabolic]

The only thing I'd add to everything everyone's already said is adding in some DC style extreme stretches

I immediately thought of Batman or something just looked it up.

 

[Liter O' Test]

what helped me alot was addressing a lot of tightness and lack of flexibility.
but the gamechanger was figure 8 straps, I can spend so much more time with tension on the lats..
for example just static holding the weight at the end and keeping that stretch, really spending time working through the spot youre trying to hit

 

[headtrainer]

I usually post my questions in the Beginner section but was really looking for some serious guidance/tips on what you guys are doing to get your lats to grow since I might try and do my first show next summer. It’s my only lagging body part right now according to my coach. I just can’t really “feel” them activate when doing any type of pulling movement for back. I feel like my biceps always take over the movement. I don’t know if it’s necessarily my routine that’s the problem but more my form/mind muscle connection. He suggested dropping the weight a little and working on my form which I started doing these last couple of weeks. Is it just more of a time/patience thing or maybe just genetics? Are started using straps too recently.

This is my current back day routine and a couple of pictures from 08/23 to 08/24. I guess they’ve grown some but they’re not where I would like them to be. I’m open to any tips, tricks, suggestions on what you guys are doing to get nice, thick lats! TIA!

BB Rows: 3x8-10 reps
DB Rows: 3x6-10 reps
Row Machine: 3x4-8 reps
Shoulder Width Neutral Grip PDs: 4x8-12 reps
Hyper Machine: 2x15-20 reps
View attachment 206116

You’re not doing nearly enough pulldowns movements to get the widest lats possible. You should start your back routine with various pulldowns and end with rowing movements.

 

[buck]

I watch people every day doing pulldowns and pull ups. And use very little lats doing them. They pull with their arms and upper back. End up their elbows back more then they pull their elbows down. They don't have their scapula in the right position. They crunch down and roll forward drop with their abs, drop their chest to move the weight.

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

I had issues years ago.. I started using straps and literally take my fingers off the bar/or attachment. Used moderate weight too. I wanted to take my grip out of the loop to really focus on the pull. It’s what helped me personally truly feel the lat muscle working properly.

Cage

Thanks!! That’s helpful!! I’m pretty new to all of this (following a proper diet, training consistently) and just recently started using straps and was wondering if they should be tight to the point of not really even needing to grip the bar, but it makes sense!

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

youre training a lot in low rep ranges, which is fine if you have good MMC, but you say you just cant feel them at all.

Try some higher rep ranges or do a feeder set with lighter weight and dont even think about moving the implement, only focus on activating the muscle you are trying to grow.

strap up and just imagine theres a rope tied to the handles from your elbow, dont think about moving the bar/cable/dumbbell to your chest, think about moving your elbow.

Hot take, but i would bench the DB and BB rows in favor of a chest supported or tbar, something that you can focus more on your back and less on stability and doesnt let you cheat as much

Yeah that makes sense! I’ve started to lighten up the weight these last couple of weeks! Also, I do think I’ve always tried to pull the weight up more with my hand than actually squeezing my lat to move it! Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

Are you guys usually doing pull downs at the beginning of your back workout or does it matter? Usually I do them close to the end.

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

As someone already wrote here you don't need to focus on "lats" or any other single muscle because you simply don't have much muscle mass. You need tons of it because you don't even have a good muscle base, so stick to the basics
-bench press/dips, fly's
-dumbbell/barbell rows, deadlifts
-squats variations, leg press, lunges, rdl's

that's what you need, not focusing on "lats"

I got a late start, but maybe one day I’ll get there! It’s fun trying though! I wish it didn’t take so long! lol

 

[grammo13]

Are you guys usually doing pull downs at the beginning of your back workout or does it matter? Usually I do them close to the end.

I really like cris edmunds sequencing which is John meadows inspired. Start with a straight arm cable pullover to get some blood in the lat and a good stretch and squeeze . Follow that up with your heavier lat pulldown movement.

 

[bbxtreme]

It’s a mind/muscle connection issue. Lower the weight and really concentrate on keeping the elbow closer to the lat and pulling through them to really engage and lock the lat muscles.

But the eccentric is everything as you want to just keep the tension on the lat. I’ve written about this many times in my AMA thread and lower lats specifically as they’ve been my focus for quite some time.

I agree with everyone else overall that the best way to bring up a weak body part is to bring up everything. You just need more lean tissue at the end of the day. Lift big to get big and then dial it in and clean it up. That’s what I would do.

 

[Drax]

Never seen a dude with a bad back who only ever did Pull-ups. Endless sets of Pull-ups. Sergio Oliva, Steve Reeves, Bill Pearl, Chris Dickerson come to mind…

 

[maxrep24]

 

[Samson250]

Do whatever @b-boy does!

 

[BigBen1974]

I think most of it has been covered but my best back routine and technique was this...

- For every exercise, always use straps to take the bicep out of it. Imagine your arm doesn't start until your elbow, so when you pull, imagine pulling from there and use a full range of motion.

- Wide grip pullups on a straight bar. The widest grip you can get!
- Pulldowns with a straight bar. Very wide grip.
- Barbell rows and keep them close to the thighs
- Good old school T-Bar rows

This was what worked best for me, but you may need to change up exercises. Always envision pulling from the elbows and use weight where you can feel the muscle activate, then the back will grow!

Totally agree that STRAIGHT bar for pull downs and pull-ups is where it's at if you're going to do those movements. They flare the elbows out when it's a straight bar, but straight bars are hard to find for pull down...
also the nautilus pull over machine is a great piece. If you can figure out how to make it work for your frame. I'm 6'5" and I have to push my butt out on the seat to where I'm inclined and it's perfect for me..
Also, I do a version of the Dorian Yates style barbell row, but I try and SLIDE the bar up my legs and push it into them while pushing my elbows back towards the wall. So I'm shrugging my shoulders down and thus pushing the bar AGAINST my thighs, while I Row. Done right this is a game changer.

 

[BigBen1974]

Some more thoughts--Even tho i like the wide grip STRAIGHT bar for pullups/pds, I also agree with Dorian that keeping the elbows in on rows and pulldown does help work the lats, so I like closer grip pull-ups and rows.. I worked up to very heavy cg pull-ups and worked the stretch on those.

As many have said grip needs help no matter what on back and straps are at the minimum what you should use, now I really like the figure 8 straps for back work as someone mentioned, and I also had some hooks that worked called "the hooker"… Most hooks don't work because the hook is facing away from you and the bar wants to fall out. But "the hooker" hooks face you and the bar is between the hook and your hand, they help a lot.

Hope this helps. I felt like I had a pretty good lat spread and back double at 6'5"and 300+ pounds, I wasn't great as a bodybuilder, but I do feel I had a pretty complete back after just a couple years of training.

 

[alfresco]

I watch people every day doing pulldowns and pull ups. And use very little lats doing them. They pull with their arms and upper back. End up their elbows back more then they pull their elbows down. They don't have their scapula in the right position. They crunch down and roll forward drop with their abs, drop their chest to move the weight.

Absolutely. It can easily turn into an ab exercise if one is not careful. But I still prefer moving my body through space.

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

It’s a mind/muscle connection issue. Lower the weight and really concentrate on keeping the elbow closer to the lat and pulling through them to really engage and lock the lat muscles.

But the eccentric is everything as you want to just keep the tension on the lat. I’ve written about this many times in my AMA thread and lower lats specifically as they’ve been my focus for quite some time.

I agree with everyone else overall that the best way to bring up a weak body part is to bring up everything. You just need more lean tissue at the end of the day. Lift big to get big and then dial it in and clean it up. That’s what I would do.

Thanks brother! I'll definitely give those tips a try! The weight is slowly coming up but it is definitely a fine balance with gaining more size and not getting too fluffy! I've usually been getting extra cardio during the week lately to try and help keep me on the leaner side! It may end up working out that I'll get in a solid dieting down phase and maybe just go from there!

 

[SAVAGEPMHNP]

Some more thoughts--Even tho i like the wide grip STRAIGHT bar for pullups/pds, I also agree with Dorian that keeping the elbows in on rows and pulldown does help work the lats, so I like closer grip pull-ups and rows.. I worked up to very heavy cg pull-ups and worked the stretch on those.

As many have said grip needs help no matter what on back and straps are at the minimum what you should use, now I really like the figure 8 straps for back work as someone mentioned, and I also had some hooks that worked called "the hooker"… Most hooks don't work because the hook is facing away from you and the bar wants to fall out. But "the hooker" hooks face you and the bar is between the hook and your hand, they help a lot.

Hope this helps. I felt like I had a pretty good lat spread and back double at 6'5"and 300+ pounds, I wasn't great as a bodybuilder, but I do feel I had a pretty complete back after just a couple years of training.

Wow man that is an impressive physique!! I wish I were more dedicated with diet and training when I was younger is my only regret! I just started back up consistently about a year and a half ago at 38! Thanks for the tips!

 

[b-boy]

You just need to get bigger overall bud. I’m in the same boat so not a shade.

I wasted a fair amount of time doing “optimal training” while the feeling of the movements are great I don’t think it paid dividends to what I was expecting. Yes your lats will grow from single arm pull downs and extended rope pullovers but it’s a waste of time at your current stage of development.

You’ve selected the best bang for buck exercises there maybe swap pull downs for chins even. And focus on executing them properly with the right muscles.

For eg. Have zero hip drive on your rowing movements. Pulling with your elbow. Then once executions is mastered get brutally strong at them. Get really good at the basics.

Make the basics great again

 

[b-boy]

You just need to get bigger overall bud. I’m in the same boat so not a shade.

I wasted a fair amount of time doing “optimal training” while the feeling of the movements are great I don’t think it paid dividends to what I was expecting. Yes your lats will grow from single arm pull downs and extended rope pullovers but it’s a waste of time at your current stage of development.

You’ve selected the best bang for buck exercises there maybe swap pull downs for chins even. And focus on executing them properly with the right muscles.

For eg. Have zero hip drive on your rowing movements. Pulling with your elbow. Then once executions is mastered get brutally strong at them. Get really good at the basics.

Make the basics great again

Excellent post


Only thing I will add is to work the entire back.... pulldowns in which your elbows are wide and away from your body is working more upper back, when pulling with elbows tight against your body your working more latissimus dorsi.. so be sure to incorporate both in your routine or rotation