I want wings!

[Threadbearer]

What are some of your favorite (and most effective) lat exercises? What do you recommend for widening out the upper back and for spreading one's wing muscles?

I already do a lot of pullups and rows, but if you know of any ways to tweak those exercises for greater efficiency, I'd love to hear about that, too.

[imageWIS]

Jon.

[JoeWoah]

Has wings!

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by Threadbearer

What are some of your favorite (and most effective) lat exercises? What do you recommend for widening out the upper back and for spreading one's wing muscles?

I already do a lot of pullups and rows, but if you know of any ways to tweak those exercises for greater efficiency, I'd love to hear about that, too.

try adding weight to your pullups. try slowing it down a little to focus a little harder and not try to "momentum" your way through the pull-up.

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

http://www.wired.com/images/article/magazine/1507/st_redbull_f.jpg

Jon.

Bastard. Was going to post that.

[dusty]

[Eason]

If you have a free motion machine, positioning the handles far to your sides and up, then pulling your arms in and down laterally is a great way to isolate the lats.

[why]

Originally Posted by Eason

If you have a free motion machine, positioning the handles far to your sides and up, then pulling your arms in and down laterally is a great way to isolate the lats.

Which doesn't necessarily lead to growth...

[Eason]

oh

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Eason

If you have a free motion machine, positioning the handles far to your sides and up, then pulling your arms in and down laterally is a great way to isolate the lats.

Originally Posted by why

Which doesn't necessarily lead to growth...

Originally Posted by Eason

oh

Nice. lol

Does anything "necessarily" lead to growth, why?

[Eason]

That exercise actually does work really well for growing the lats, the further out you put the handles, the better it works. Just don't do only free motion exercises, not enough stabilization.

[beasty]

Originally Posted by Threadbearer

What are some of your favorite (and most effective) lat exercises? What do you recommend for widening out the upper back and for spreading one's wing muscles?

I already do a lot of pullups and rows, but if you know of any ways to tweak those exercises for greater efficiency, I'd love to hear about that, too.

You must differentiate exercises to widen lats and thickening back.
Training the entire back properly is an exercise that takes one full workout or more.

To answer your question, widening your lats involve doing latpulldowns and pullups. Do with a normal front grip. Arch your back, bring bar to chest and when extended, let your arms go as far as you can. You can use a rope and put a plate when doing pullups.

[why]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Does anything "necessarily" lead to growth, why?

That's kind of an open-ended question.

I'm just saying that isolating a muscle doesn't necessarily make it grow. A lot of times muscles require extra intensity that can only be achieved with a compound movement.

If I asked how to get bigger quadriceps I'm sure many on here would suggest squats. If someone were to say 'leg extensions isolate the quadriceps' it's not really an answer to the question and would seem like an odd answer.

There's nothing wrong with isolating a muscle, but isolation and efficacy are not always related.

[Threadbearer]

Greeeaaaat. Everybody's a comedian. I saw that coming, of course, but come on, men. In 12 responses there were only 3 exercise recommendations.

I do have access to a free motion machine, Eason, so I'll try setting the arms on it a little lower than I normally do so that I'm pulling inward as well as pulling down. And Beasty, if I understand you right, you're suggesting that I come up higher on my pullups, trying to get my chest to the bar instead of just getting my chin over it. Is that right? Also, as far as activating the lats goes, do you think it makes much difference how wide a hand placement one uses during pullups? If so, what do you recommend for widening the lats?

And what favorites do some of you other guys have for lats?

[smw356]

weighted pullups/chinups
weighted inverted rows
t-bar rows
bent over barbell rows
bent over dumbell rows