Build Lower Lats
Back development has always been a priority with me. You can’t see your back because it’s in back
of you so it’s conditioning is taken for granted. But unless you train back in a special way
your future for good v taper is in danger of never happening. Here’s why:
Upper lats aren’t that hard to develop, I rely on front
pulldown with a wide neutral grip, pulling the bar down to touch my upper pecs
and then letting it slowly back to a non-lockout position. Stopping before lockout keeps the pump
centered in the upper lats. Going to
lockout activates the deltoids which is OK but if you want more lat stimulation
(after all you are working lats) then try non lockout pulldowns.
Then there’s the low central lat area and for that some kind
of rowing is necessary. The key here is
to get a low stretch on the negative part of the movement, rounding your back
as you stretch deep down with back parallel to the floor. If you keep your back arched while stretching
downward you will not develop a nice rounded sweeping curve to the low central
lats.
I prefer low cable row or leverage row with a long bar stuck
in a corner using small diameter plates so I can get a good range of motion to
the movement. Both of these exercises
are more user friendly than bent over barbell row. I use a neutral grip making it easy of the
elbows.
An upper lat exercise like front pulldown and lower lat
movement such as leverage row are two basic exercises for complete lat
development if you do them correctly.
The just out Autumn 2015 issue of Building the Body Quarterly has a
nice article on How to Build the Lat
Spread based on the points mentioned.
Check it out.
