Bodyweight lat exercises are a great option for anyone interested in taking their strength training to the next level. You don’t need fancy weight-lifting equipment to build impressive upper-body strength, nor do you have to live in a gym with dozens of machines. All that you need is your own body, and willing to bet that you’re fully equipped with everything that you need for a workout. Be sure to mix these exercises into your next workout routine, and add on more as you progress. Your lats will certainly thank you.
1. Pull ups
Pull-ups are one of the most popular upper body workout routines out there. This workout has a simple but effective rep strategy. If you want to modify the routine, you can increase the number of reps or set yourself a rest time in between sets. You can even challenge yourself by doing as many sets as possible within a certain time interval!
Here is how you do pull-ups:
- Start by hanging from a bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
- Bend your knees and cross your ankles behind you.
- Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.
- Lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Pull-ups are great for your upper body workout routine. You can do it alone or even with a partner, but there are a couple of things you need such as a pull-up bar and an exercise mat to protect you from falling. This exercise is good for your arms and back, so if you need some extra strengthening, this is the right workout for you!
2. Chin ups
Most bodybuilders and athletes alike can agree that chin-ups are the ultimate exercise for upper body strength. How you lift your body weight so high off the ground, while maintaining proper form, allows chin-ups to give the most benefit when it comes to adding muscle, definition, and size to any given muscle group. They work your whole back and they’re quick, efficient, and easy as hell to build muscle.
To do this exercise:
- Start by hanging from a chin-up bar with your palms facing you and your arms fully extended.
- From here, begin to pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chin.
- Once your chin is over the bar, continue to pull until your upper chest is touching the bar.
- Lower your body back to the starting position, and repeat for reps.
Doing chin-ups regularly can change your body for the better with respect to the amount of muscle mass and the definition you will achieve from these simple upper body strength builders. If done correctly, they will add substantial muscle size to your back and biceps along with changing your physique into that of someone who is always lean, ripped, and defined. Chin-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises around and should be used regularly by every athlete and bodybuilder alike if they want to build an incredible upper body.
3. Inverted rows
Inverted rows are a great way to add variety to your workout routine. Inverted rows force you to keep more control over your body, so it’s a challenging exercise that will help tone up your arms, back, and shoulders. Here is how you perform inverted rows:
- Hang from an overhead bar using a shoulder-width grip.
- Bend your knees and cross your ankles.
- Pull your body up until your chest touches the bar.
- Lower yourself back to the starting position.
Inverted rows are a great replacement to regular pull-ups. They work the same muscles, but they place much more strain on them than pull-ups alone. The fact that they take up less space is also a big plus. They engage your entire back and build shoulder muscles, which means you can use them more frequently in your workouts than most other isolation arm exercises.
4. Pulse rows
Pulse rows exercise for active recovery and relaxation of the muscle. This exercise will give a stretch to the muscles worked out in the lower back, buttocks, side of the waist, belly, and hand muscles. People with an inactive lifestyle can do this exercise at home without much trouble.
Here is how you do pulse rows:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands on your lower stomach.
- As you exhale, slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor and curl up towards your knees.
- Hold this position for a count of five.
- As you inhale, slowly lower your head and shoulders back to the starting position.
Pulse rows are probably one of the most beneficial exercises for people with an inactive lifestyle, and will help them in two main areas: working out the muscles and an exercise that provides a stretch. If you’re looking to increase your metabolism, lose weight and keep fit, you should know that pulse rows can do all this and more.
5. Seal push up
The Seal Push-Up is a great exercise for strengthening the chest, arms, and shoulders. Even though you’re working your upper body, it also requires a lot of balance, so you get a bonus in that department. You can do this exercise either on the floor or on an elevated surface.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body until your chest is just above the ground.
- Push back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Seal pushups are meant to work your chest and stomach muscles. You want to make sure that you aren’t placing too much of your weight on the legs/feet when doing pushups to keep from stressing your knees and shins. The palms should be facing toward the ground instead of backward. This will allow you to engage the chest, back, and abs more effectively than any other position.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in building stronger lats, consider these bodyweight lat exercises to be a great place to start. They focus on the major areas that contribute to back strength and size when weight lifting, as well as providing you with some extra benefits, like flexibility for improved overall range of motion. Do yourself a favor and add some of these great exercises into your workout routine—you’ll have a harder time scratching that back itch once your biceps start brushing up against it.
