6 Moves for Sick Lats
Pulldowns will only get you so far. Vary your pullup repertoire to build a wide, muscular back.
2 of 7 2 PULL-UP (SHOULDER-WIDTH) .
The emphasis: Upper-middle lats, rhomboids, rear delts
The breakdown: Perhaps the toughest of all the pulls, this variation calls into play your rhomboids, rear delts, and even the brachialis and brachioradialis to complete each rep. Because your hands are spaced more narrowly – shoulder-width is ideal – this move allows for a longer range of motion, meaning that the vertical emphasis of the pull starts to shift south to your lower lats, even if the upper lats remain the primary movers. Make sure you go all the way down, fully extending your arms and maximize this exercise for its tremendous strength challenge.
The plan: Using this move will require more involvement from your biceps so grip may become a factor. If your forearms are prone to fatigue, consider using straps to make it through your working sets. Shoot for multiple (3-4) sets of 10-12 reps, adding weight once you can do so with ease. It should be noted that you can perform kipping pull-ups to “cheat” through a few reps if you fail before your target number of reps.
SEE ALSO: 6 Moves for Sick Lats
The emphasis: Upper-middle lats, rhomboids, rear delts
The breakdown: Perhaps the toughest of all the pulls, this variation calls into play your rhomboids, rear delts, and even the brachialis and brachioradialis to complete each rep. Because your hands are spaced more narrowly – shoulder-width is ideal – this move allows for a longer range of motion, meaning that the vertical emphasis of the pull starts to shift south to your lower lats, even if the upper lats remain the primary movers. Make sure you go all the way down, fully extending your arms and maximize this exercise for its tremendous strength challenge.
The plan: Using this move will require more involvement from your biceps so grip may become a factor. If your forearms are prone to fatigue, consider using straps to make it through your working sets. Shoot for multiple (3-4) sets of 10-12 reps, adding weight once you can do so with ease. It should be noted that you can perform kipping pull-ups to “cheat” through a few reps if you fail before your target number of reps.
SEE ALSO: 6 Moves for Sick Lats
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