You know the importance of performing lat exercises, but how many options are available to you? Additionally, how should you perform these exercises? Follow these tips to ensure you’re performing the most effective lat exercises possible.
Lat exercises are used to strengthen the latissimus dorsi muscle, which is located on the sides of the back, and provide a foundation for many other exercises. The most important thing to know about performing lat exercises is that there are many ways to do so.
Dumbell Lat Exercises
These five dumbbell lat exercises are great for both men and women, runners or non-runners, and those who just want to be better at doing exercises.
1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Single-arm dumbbell rows are a great exercise to help you build upper body strength and get your shoulders in shape. If your goal is to add some lean muscle on the backs of your arms and develop that ‘V’ back, then this is an exercise you’ll want to try out.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in your left hand and placing your right hand on a bench or other support.
- Bend your knees and lean forward from the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Allow the weight to hang down and then row it up to the side of your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Lower the weight back down and repeat for 8-10 repetitions before switching sides.
If you’re looking for a quick, great exercise to help with building up your upper body strength, then the single-arm dumbbell row is the right move. It’s not hard to learn how to do it. With very few setup steps and a simple motion, you’ll be able to quickly incorporate this into your workouts. So get out there and add some strong upper body muscles with the single-arm dumbbell row.
2. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
The dumbbell bent over row is an incredibly effective and quick strength exercise for your shoulders and back. If you want to get a great workout in your shoulder muscles in a short period, this exercise is for you. The reason why it’s so effective is that it works several different muscle groups at once, including your upper back, biceps, traps, and core muscles.
To do this exercise:
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand and standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor.
- Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length from your shoulder.
- Bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you row the dumbbells up to your side.
- Pause for a moment and then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
This exercise is a great combination of several muscle-building exercises which will give you all the benefits of a barbell row without the added risk of injury. It’s an easy and effective way to get a solid workout in your back and shoulders quickly and safely.
3. Underhand Dumbbell Bent Over Row
The underhand dumbbell bent over row is a power-packed exercise that will help burn fat and build big muscle. It is also an effective technique for toning the chest and shoulders. However, since it’s performed with two dumbbells, you need to learn how to use this exercise correctly.
Here is how you do the underhand dumbbell bent over row the right way:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Bend at the hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor.
- Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length from your shoulder, and hold the dumbbells using an underhand grip.
- Bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells to the sides of your torso.
- Pause for a count of one, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
The underhand dumbbell bent over row is one of the best exercises available for building your back and shoulders. You’ll be getting all three parts of your delts plus you’ll be hitting your lower back, traps, rhomboids, and biceps. This exercise is ideal for beginners and also works well if you want to add a bit more weight during strength training.
4. Dumbbell Lat Pullover
The dumbbell lat pullover is a great exercise for the upper back and biceps. This exercise works the latissimus muscles, rhomboids, and teres major. It’s also used to strengthen the glutes and hamstrings. Dumbbell lat pullovers are an important part of your workout arsenal. Even if you’re just starting out and building strength, they are pretty easy to do!
To do this exercise:
- Start by lying down on your back on a bench.
- Hold the dumbbell in both hands above your chest with your palms facing each other.
- Keeping your core engaged, lower the dumbbell behind your head, maintaining the same grip.
- Reverse the motion, and return to the starting position.
The lat pullover works well in any workout program. It can be used as a mass builder to increase your strength and power. When it comes to bodybuilding, it is often one of the first lats exercises done. If you want to develop your lats, use this exercise for your back workout.
5. Incline Bench Dumbbell Rows
The Incline Bench Dumbbell Row is a compound movement that derives its name from the starting position that utilizes an incline bench. Within this exercise, there are multiple exercises happening at once: Latissimus Dorsi (Lats) recruitment, biceps brachii activation, and scapular retraction.
Here is how you do this exercise:
- Position an adjustable incline bench at 45 degrees.
- Lie prone on the bench and grab a dumbbell in each hand utilizing a pronated grip.
- Drive the elbows behind the body while retracting the shoulder blades to begin the movement.
- Pull the dumbbells towards your body until the elbows are at the midline.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position under control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
This compound movement can be adjusted to any fitness level and can be customized for any experience. You can adjust the incline to either increase or decrease the intensity of this movement. For example, changing the angle of incline changes the focus from the mid-lats to the lats. If you have light dumbbells, lower intensity will likely be required to use proper form and prevent injury and muscular overload.
Function of the Lat Muscles
The latissimus dorsi muscles are a large, flat pair of muscles located in the lower back. These muscles are responsible for several important functions, including:
1. Extension of the spine – The lats work to extend the spine, which is the movement that allows you to arch your back.
2. Adduction of the shoulder – Helps bring the arms down and back toward the body.
3. Internal rotation of the shoulder – The lats work to rotate the arm inward at the shoulder joint.
4. Stabilization of the shoulder – Assist in stabilizing the shoulder joint and prevent it from dislocating.
Conclusion
The latissimus dorsi muscle is an important muscle group that is responsible for several key functions in the body. The best way to work this muscle group is by doing latissimus dorsi exercises, such as the ones listed above. These exercises will help to build strength, power and stability in the lower back and shoulders. Remember to keep proper form and technique in mind when performing these exercises to prevent injury and get the most out of your workout.