# how do i get bigger lats



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

ive been trying really hard with my back lately as i felt that it was lagging behind other body parts

my workout is usually

pullups into lat pull...6 pullups then 12 lat pulls with a lighter weight and really strict from x 3

deadlifts 3x8

bent over row 3x8

cable row 2x8 then a drop set

then sometimes straight arm pulldowns or single arm rows

im trying to get width and depth in my back so constantly changing grips from wide to narrow and underarm to overarm.

im just wondering if anybody could maybe improve this for me?

thanks, david


----------



## XRichHx (Mar 7, 2012)

I would do 50 chins in as many sets as possible.

My Lats are decent and that's really all I do


----------



## Craig660 (Dec 8, 2005)

Train harder and inject more steroids


----------



## Conscript (Sep 5, 2010)

My lats responded best to 5 second negatives on lat pull, cable row, bbor.


----------



## stone14 (Mar 24, 2005)

my back routine is wide grip rows 5x5 followed by wide grip pulldowns 5x5. im happy with my width so far.


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Does anybody do reverse lat pull downs where you face away from the machine?


----------



## Bish83 (Nov 18, 2009)

dave what are your weight numbers on those exercises; not including pullups.


----------



## str4nger (Jul 17, 2012)

I have also been trying to widen my back with some success.

Been using more wide grip exercises


----------



## 1990 (Jan 31, 2011)

ive just started doing the 50 reps chin ups

50 reps for however many sets it takes


----------



## Fullhouse (Mar 31, 2010)

rectus said:


> Does anybody do reverse lat pull downs where you face away from the machine?


On occasion, wide grip pull ups a the king of lat exercises IMO


----------



## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

Fullhouse said:


> On occasion, wide grip pull ups a the king of lat exercises IMO


there so fcuking hard to do tho  still gotta do what u gotta do


----------



## sockie (Jul 1, 2012)

dumbbell pullover,wg pullup,lat pulldwn,wide grip bent over row,heavy


----------



## anabolik (Aug 19, 2010)

Chinups

When you use a wide grip with palms facing away from you it takes the emphasis off the lats and onto the lower traps. You can see this clearly if you look at a video of someone with a well developed back. Find a vid of Coleman or someone doing pulldowns without a top on and watch the muscles contracting and you'll see what I mean.

Although pulldowns/pullups are probably a better all-round back exercise they do not emphasise the lats as much as cg chins do.


----------



## WilsonR6 (Feb 14, 2012)

Pull ups


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

anabolik said:


> Chinups
> 
> When you use a wide grip with palms facing away from you it takes the emphasis off the lats and onto the lower traps. You can see this clearly if you look at a video of someone with a well developed back. Find a vid of Coleman or someone doing pulldowns without a top on and watch the muscles contracting and you'll see what I mean.
> 
> Although pulldowns/pullups are probably a better all-round back exercise they do not emphasise the lats as much as cg chins do.


I personally can feel my lats contract only really when I do very wide pronated pull ups. I can't actually pull myself up so I use momentum to get up there and then focus on the negative portion.


----------



## exvigourbeast (Dec 4, 2009)

F88K me nobody has said deadlifts yet. I thought it was the mandatory UK-M answer to most questions.

OP - Do you make increases in weight used fairly regularly . I'll probably set myself up for ridicule here but I think certainly for back a bit of artistic licence with style in B-bell rows etc helps at time to force strength increases.


----------



## GolfDelta (Jan 5, 2010)

rectus said:


> Does anybody do reverse lat pull downs where you face away from the machine?


I do them when I finish a back session with FST-7,like them a lot.OP do you have a pullover machine in your gym?I've noticed a good change in lats since doing heavy pullovers.


----------



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

Nope, could grab a dumbell though I suppose? I've never really felt them when doing them to be honest


----------



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

my weights do increase probably every 3 weeks ish...unlike chest though it's hard to do negatives or get a spot on most back exercises


----------



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

Bish83 said:


> dave what are your weight numbers on those exercises; not including pullups.


Lat pulls 60kg

Deadlifts 270 pounds

Bent over row 140 pounds

Cable row 80kg

Straight arm pulldowns 25kg

....these weights obviously depend where I put them in the workout


----------



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

exvigourbeast said:


> F88K me nobody has said deadlifts yet. I thought it was the mandatory UK-M answer to most questions.
> 
> OP - Do you make increases in weight used fairly regularly . I'll probably set myself up for ridicule here but I think certainly for back a bit of artistic licence with style in B-bell rows etc helps at time to
> 
> ...


----------



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

GolfDelta said:


> I do them when I finish a back session with FST-7,like them a lot.OP do you have a pullover machine in your gym?I've noticed a good change in lats since doing heavy pullovers.


Nope, could grab a dumbell though I suppose? I've never really felt them when doing them to be honest

Share


----------



## GolfDelta (Jan 5, 2010)

David-mollard said:


> Nope, could grab a dumbell though I suppose? I've never really felt them when doing them to be honest
> 
> Share


Do them so you're whole body is off the bench apart from your shoulders,watch DorianYates blood and guts on YouTube for a good example of how they should be executed.


----------



## majormuscle (Oct 24, 2009)

Barbell rows/dumbbell rows lat pulldowns, deadlifts low pulley rows in no particular order all as heavy as you can go safely and most of all plenty of food and a pinch of aas to finish off


----------



## murphy2010 (Dec 17, 2010)

I do, 3 sets wide grip pullups, 3 sets straight arm pulldowns, 3 sets db rows


----------



## exvigourbeast (Dec 4, 2009)

I think it sounds like you are just at a stage where increasing weight used in basic exercises is probably more important than wanting to discover new movements or try anything radical. If the weight is going up every 3 weeks or so I wouldn't worry too much the progress will come.

Personally I would do two compound rowing movements 4 to 6 sets each and a pulldown/chin exercise for 4 to 6 sets and keep reps on the low side.

The world and his dog disagrees with me but I don't think deadlifts are as good for building back compared to heavy barbell rows and if I do deadlifts first I find that there is a significant drop in weight used for rowing movements simply from the mental effort of a few sets of deadlifts


----------



## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

Question - how do I get bigger lats?

Answer - train them and eat more!


----------



## klint37 (Jan 26, 2012)

I recently started 6x3 wiegthed wide grip pull ups each set i add more wieght then for the 7 set i drop the wieght buy 40% and just go for as many as possible. followed by 3X12 CABLE pulls. strength with hyp . gets them flared lol. But thata only thwe width part of them. seems to b working


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Fatstuff said:


> Question - how do I get bigger lats?
> 
> Answer - train them and eat more!


Have you considered writing a book?

*
Fatstuff's Guide to Bodybuilding Vol 1.*

*Q1:* How do I bulk?

*A1:* Eat!

*Q2:* How do I cut?

*A2:* Don't eat!

*Q3:* How do I look good naked?

*A3:* Turn off the lights!


----------



## Justkeeptrainin (Oct 4, 2011)

rectus said:


> Does anybody do reverse lat pull downs where you face away from the machine?


Shoulder press!!


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Justkeeptrainin said:


> Shoulder press!!


Pardón?


----------



## Justkeeptrainin (Oct 4, 2011)

rectus said:


> Does anybody do reverse lat pull downs where you face away from the machine?


This is something people gave been doing for years. It is however going against the biomechanics of the Lats. Unless you have hyperextendable shoulders. It can Fk your neck up too.

The person that said they only really feel the Lats engaging with really wide grip pull ups. Your probably feeling the stretch more.

When training Lats. I do lots of weighted pull ups with various grips and grip width. However the one that's been adding the extra soreness the next day is single arm pull downs on the cable. Trust me, at the end of your lat session get the high cable, Kneel down, hold the grip with one hand and the frame with the other. Let the weight pull you into a lat stretch and then pull down to full range as low as you elbow will go with a slight lean back. Do a nice few sets where you can't do more that 12reps per arm..... After this be careful wiping your ass cause the cramp is brutal!!


----------



## Justkeeptrainin (Oct 4, 2011)

rectus said:


> Pardón?


Ze réversé de la lát pull down ís ze shóuldere prèsse mon frére

Frogs for protien!! Vive la revolution


----------



## Ahal84 (Jun 2, 2010)

Check Flex Lewis Lat workout.


----------



## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

rectus said:


> Have you considered writing a book?
> 
> *
> Fatstuff's Guide to Bodybuilding Vol 1.*
> ...


Lol - ppl tend to overcomplicate things, I am a simple guy with simple ways!


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Justkeeptrainin said:


> This is something people gave been doing for years. It is however going against the biomechanics of the Lats. Unless you have hyperextendable shoulders. It can Fk your neck up too.
> 
> The person that said they only really feel the Lats engaging with really wide grip pull ups. Your probably feeling the stretch more.
> 
> When training Lats. I do lots of weighted pull ups with various grips and grip width. However the one that's been adding the extra soreness the next day is single arm pull downs on the cable. Trust me, at the end of your lat session get the high cable, Kneel down, hold the grip with one hand and the frame with the other. Let the weight pull you into a lat stretch and then pull down to full range as low as you elbow will go with a slight lean back. Do a nice few sets where you can't do more that 12reps per arm..... After this be careful wiping your ass cause the cramp is brutal!!


That was me who said about the wide grip pull up. Can you find a video of what you're talking about so I have a clearer idea of technique? A good description though, but I prefer to see the movement performed.

I have never seen anyone do lat pull downs away from the machine, I can't visualise how it'd be damaging (though I haven't tried it as of yet). Obviously the weight of the stack has to decrease dramatically so you can focus on activating your lats and you don't go flying off the seat as the standard lat pull down has your thighs secured under pads.


----------



## Justkeeptrainin (Oct 4, 2011)

I will have a look online see if I can find a vid of it. You aren't back too far from the machine when you start. I usually hold the post which holds the cable if possible. When you start you want to be as vertical as possible to get the full stretch and full range, you lean back slightly during the pull nt massively just about 30 degrees to get a nice deep pull.


----------



## Moonbeam (Jul 20, 2011)

Try working back twice a week and use more volume, intensity, gear and food


----------



## Xbigdave79 (Mar 30, 2012)

I have started doing 50 rep pull ups as well ,not too wide tho it hurts my shoulder, loving the results tho


----------



## Ben_Dover (Apr 12, 2012)

Xbigdave79 said:


> I have started doing 50 rep pull ups as well ,not too wide tho it hurts my shoulder, loving the results tho


That would take me about 25 sets!


----------



## Cutandjacked (Oct 30, 2012)

Row, row, row the boat  seriously though heavy deadlifts, rack pulls, barbell bent-over rows, T-bar rows for thickness, pulldowns, weighted pull-ups etc for width.


----------



## Muscle Supermkt (Nov 28, 2012)

Chin ups, and heavy deadlifts


----------



## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Xbigdave79 said:


> I have started doing 50 rep pull ups as well ,not too wide tho it hurts my shoulder, loving the results tho


I have just started cleaning up my pull ups as I was using hip drive, got to 14 reps on the first set from 7. Now I've cleaned up my form and I get 6 perfect reps. Seriously, best form you've ever seen.


----------



## Xbigdave79 (Mar 30, 2012)

Once you get good at pull ups the is a good advanced version you can try its the sterum chin up ,it's basically a pull up but on the last bit you bull your body up to the bar , google it as I haven't explained it very well


----------



## El Toro Mr UK98 (Nov 11, 2011)

reverse grip pulldowns with a 2 second squeese on the contraction and my lats are one of my best body parts


----------



## countrybumpkin (Jul 2, 2011)

anabolik said:


> Chinups
> 
> When you use a wide grip with palms facing away from you it takes the emphasis off the lats and onto the lower traps. You can see this clearly if you look at a video of someone with a well developed back. Find a vid of Coleman or someone doing pulldowns without a top on and watch the muscles contracting and you'll see what I mean.
> 
> Although pulldowns/pullups are probably a better all-round back exercise they do not emphasise the lats as much as cg chins do.


Good post. A couple months ago at the end of a back session I spent about 10 mins experimenting with all kinds of different grips and hand placements and the close grip seems to be far superior. Another good one is to put a seated row attachment onto the pull down, kinda like a hammer pulldown, or drap a towel or rope over the pullup bar and use a hammer grip.


----------



## RowRow (Nov 17, 2011)

heavy dumbbell pullovers

wide reverse grip pull ups-set to failure an rest paused

t bar rows

bent over rows

elevated seated cable rows

knee height rack pulls- set of 5

one arm rows- sets of 15-20+

Job done, back has always been a strong point but then again i've always trained it like this.


----------

