It’s easy to know which exercise is working and which isn’t for all the muscles you can see in the mirror. But for muscles like Lats, it’s tough to establish a mind-muscle connection which eventually leads to less growth compared to other parts. However, there are some techniques which will certainly help you eliminate all the odds and build up an impressive back. Take a look at four simple training tips to get impressive Lats –
1). Keeping the torso upright
The single major mistake that most people make while training lats (back muscles) is the incorrect position in many foundation exercises. For instance, Lat Pulldown is among some of those basic back exercises yet it stimulates some real high-class growth in lats when done right.
Many a time, beginners lean way too back while performing an exercise like lat pull down. Not only does it engage more of rear delts but also uses momentum rather than muscle activation.
The correct way to do is – Keep your Torso upright and pull the cable as down as possible pretending to hit the belts.
Related article: 4 training tips to change your boring workout routine
2). Keeping your back in arch position
As you progress from a full body workout to a split training routine, that is, from a beginner level to an intermediate, you will gradually learn minor techniques that can boost up your gains very quickly. And one such method for building up impressive lats in no time is – Keeping arch in the back.
While performing different back exercises without keeping a small arch in lower back, you are in a way allowing other muscles to take up the stress instead of your lats.
Along with keeping an arch in the back, you also need to extrude your chest so that you get maximum stress in your lats.
3). For better stimulation in lats, pull through your elbows.
To be very particular, don’t use too much of shoulders or arms while targeting lat muscles. The sole purpose of pulling through elbows is to corner off all other muscles and give proper contraction to lats.
You might feel a good pump in your biceps after you have performed a couple of set of pull-ups or chin-ups. And that’s because you are lifting yourself more through arms than your elbows.
If you still find it difficult then, you can think of using lifting straps which will help you focus more on lats and less worrying about grip.
Related article: 5 bodybuilding myths every youngster must know
4). Move over simple straight up and down motion
Don’t just sit there and move the cable up and down without feeling any pump in the muscles.
Lats muscles, especially, needs a proper form and correct posture to get stimulated.
For instance, exercises like seated rows which exclusively targets lats muscles, requires a good position to generate maximum stimulation in lats.
Puff out your chest, keep an arch in lower back and pull the bar towards your waist. It’s as simple as that.
Also published on Medium.
