Latissimus Dorsi is a major muscle group that runs both sides of our back. The lat muscles are the one of the biggest, most important & most popular muscles. Important because they are the primary reasons how your back looks like with or without cloths so building the lats will provide your back bigger & better look. And, popular because, most people want to get that V-taper back which can be achieved if you take proper workout method for lats, teres & other back muscles responsible for the V cut look. Anyway, if you want to put extra effort on your lats and want to get them wide & big to create the V shape then here, we have discussed about 5 best exercises for lats from which you can include one or two exercises of your choice in your back day to see results fast! Let’s know about these 5 best exercises for lats right now!
One Arm High Cable Row
One Arm High Cable Row is the best unilateral cable rowing exercise for lats in our opinion, even better than Seated Single-Arm Cable Row! As you have to stand for executing this exercise, your lats will get more emphasis than other rowing exercises. Because of the high position of the cable, from upper to lower, every portion of your lat will be equally targeted. Thus, it is no secret that this is one of the best exercises for lats that you shouldn’t obviously miss!
Do this exercise for 10 to 15 reps of moderate weight in anytime from the middle to end of your back sessions. As this is a complex exercise to perform, proper form & focusing on the stretching of lat muscles is the perfect way to do it & to get the full benefit of the exercise. So, include this exercise for a guaranteed V shaped back!
V-Grip Lat Pulldown
All pulldown exercises are very effective for back especially the lats but to target the lats more, you have to change the grip from the traditional wide-grip to some others grips & V-grip is one of them.
V-Grip Lat Pullsown is the most effective among all of them as it not only activates the lats more because of its long range of motion but also this exercise puts the inner muscles of the back like traps, rhomboids, teres & erector spinae into serious pressure to make your overall back more muscular, V-tapered & big.
So, if you want bigger, wider lats as well as other back muscles as a bonus then V-Grip Lat Pulldown is a must in your back sessions. Thus, it is surely one of the best exercises for lats that you should include in your workout. Go for moderate weight with 10-12 reps per set & to take advantage of that longer range of motion, focus on the stretching of your lat muscles so that the lats get the extra tension to build faster!
Wide-Grip Pull Up
It is no secret why Pull up is one of the best bodyweight exercises. It hits every muscle in the upper back as well as in the shoulders and biceps. If you want bigger lats, you should go for Wide-Grip Pull-Ups which is excellent for targeting the upper lats to make your back thick & wide. As Pull up is an exercise that requires long range of motion and enough strength in the forearms, make sure you perform this exercise in the correct form otherwise, you would hurt yourself.
If you are a beginner and find Pull ups difficult, you can use assisted Pull up machine or find a good spotter who helps you to perform proper form and range of motion. If you’re an advanced lifter, try 10-12 repetitions of each set of Pull ups. If possible, hold for 1 sec after pulling your body up to the bar in order to create extra tension in your back muscles which will be even more effective! In case, you have mastered the pull ups, you can do weighted pull ups for extra pressure on your back especially on the lats!
Dumbbell Pullover
If you want an exercise that only targets the lat muscles then Dumbbell Pullover is the one you should go for. This is an amazing exercise to specifically target your lats that leads to big muscular wings so, start Dumbbell Pullovers from today to make your lats wide & ‘V’ shaped!
If you want best results for your lats, you should do Dumbbell Pullover in the end of your back day. Start with a medium size dumbbell for 12 to 15 repetitions. As this is a long range of motion exercise, slowly perform it with proper balance & form. Focus on your lats under tension while working out. Make sure that the dumbbell will reach over your face but not further otherwise your chest will be put under pressure, not lats!
Also Read: 10 Best Exercises for Back (Hit Every Muscle!)
T-Bar Row
T-Bar Row is one of the most common and popular rowing exercise for gaining size in the back especially in the lats. Just like Barbell Row, in this back movement, you can also lift very heavy weight to put pressure on the inner as well as outer muscles of the back. But, what you may not know is that T-bar Row is an expert in building the lat muscles specifically.
Make sure, you lift enough weight to put pressure on your lats and while lifting that heavy weight, also make sure, your legs are locked in a bent angle throughout the sets. Don’t just blindly lift the weights like a powerlifter rather focus on the contraction and stretching the lat muscles. As we have already said, T-Bar Row is one of the easiest and best exercises for lats especially for the lower lats which makes your back bigger & gives a ‘V’ cut look! So, you should obviously include this amazing rowing exercise in your back sessions.
Conclusion
Therefore, these are the 5 best exercises for lats from which you can include your preferable one or two exercises in your back day to specifically target the lat muscles to make your back wide & a perfect V-taper! Anyway, we hope you have found this article about best exercises for lats helpful enough. If it really so then don’t hesitate to express your valuable thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting & appreciating our work.