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The lats are the largest muscles in the body. They're also incredibly important for different types of movements, including climbing, pushing heavy things, swimming, throwing punches, and even standing tall.
If you want a well-defined upper body that's capable of doing all these things and more, it's time to start building those lats. On that note, here're a few exercises guaranteed to get your lats growing:
Lat Exercises for Men
Here's a look at six such exercises for men:
#1 Bent Over Dumbbell Row
The bent-over dumbbell row is a great way to work your lats, one side at a time. You could even perform the standing barbell variation of this exercise, if that's what floats your boat.
However, if you prioritize aesthetics over strength, we recommend this, as it's a unilateral exercise,that forces you to isolate each half of your lats (left and right), helping you build more evened-out muscles in the back.
To do the bent-over dumbbell row, get into a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other. Proceed as follows:
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and let them hang at your sides with palms facing inward.
- Bend your knees slightly, keeping your torso at about 45 degrees from the floor.
- Raise both arms to chest height by squeezing your shoulder blades together, and lower them back down to the starting position.
- Perform three sets of eight reps to build muscle mass and strength in the lats and upper back muscles.
#2 Wide Grip Pull-up
The wide grip pull-up is a variation of the standard pull-up and is one of the best exercises for building the lat muscles. This exercise is also great for building core and upper body strength so that you look leaner as well as stronger.
Here's how it's done:
- Set yourself up in a regular pull-up position, but grab your bar with your hands further apart than normal (about twice shoulder width).
- Pull yourself up till your chest touches or almost touches the bar at the top of the movement (keep this range tight).
- Lower yourself back down till you're hanging from your arms again.
#3 Barbell Deadlift
The barbell deadlift is a compound exercise that involves the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. It's an excellent movement to build the lats, so if you're looking for a great way to work your back, start with this classic lift.
To do this exercise:
- Stand in front of a loaded barbell. Hinge down with your hips, and grab the weight with an overhand grip about shoulder-width apart.
- Drill your feet into the ground, and bring your glutes down.
- While keeping your back arched, pull the weight up till you're standing tall and the weight is in line with your waist.
- After locking out at the top, lower down while still being in control of the weight till it hits the ground. Perform a few reps.
It's also a good exercise to learn if you're new to weightlifting or returning from injury.
#4 Dumbbell Pullover
The dumbbell pullover is great for strengthening the back, chest, and shoulder muscles. It also helps increase upper body flexibility and improve shoulder joint stability.
To do this exercise:
- Lie down on a bench with your head facing up, and hold two dumbbells above your chest with your arms straightened out.
- Slowly lower the weights down till they're as low as possible.
- Keep in mind that when doing this move, it's important not to round or arch your back while bringing them down. Keep it absolutely straight throughout.
- Once you have lowered the dumbbells all the way down to their lowest point, slowly raise them again till they reach an upright position above you (like starting position).
#5 Lat Pulldown
The lat pulldown is performed with a lat pulldown machine. It's similar to the pull-up, but you're pulling weight, instead of yourself.
To perform this workout:
- Adjust the seat height so that your knees are slightly bent when seated.
- Place two hands on the bar shoulder width apart, and straighten up your arms so that they're parallel to the floor.
- Pull down on the bar by flexing your elbow joints till it touches or almost touches your chest (depending on what variation you're doing).
- Return slowly back to the starting position without locking out your joints at the top or bottom positions.
#6 Swimming
Swimming is an excellent workout for men to build their lats, as it engages the entire body.
Swimming works the core, shoulders, chest, and back. It's also a good cardio workout, so you will burn calories while building muscle strength in your back.
Takeaway
Getting a great set of lats is an important part of having a good-looking body. However, it's not just about aesthetics but also about strength.
If you’re looking for exercises that can help with both upper back and lower back development, we recommend trying out some variations on the aforementioned moves, especially if they’re new to your routine.
