Just got back from the gym. It was Lat & Back day and I’m very tired from the pounding I gave these muscles. These muscles are the ones that give you the appearance of having wings under your arms and as they are developed the back widens out and thickens. Here are a couple pictures to illustrate what I am talking about:
Notice the Lats peaking out from under the arms along the upper chest.
Notice in the picture above the widening out of the back
I think this illustrates the muscles that were worked to exhaustion this morning. Note that the muscles are fairly large and require a ton of calories and effort to make them grow. Here is a little review of the workout that me and my Coach, Justin Dees has put together to attack my Lats & Back to expedite growth and definition.
Lat & Back Training
First Exercise:
1.) I attach a rope to a high D-Ring.
2.) Next I lean back with both ends of the rope in each hand.
3.) Upon leaning back I pull the weights toward my upper chest and at the same time I arch my back to pull my lats back hard and to crunch my upper back muscles to the midline on the back. (Shoulder blades are pulled together acutely to the back’s midline) I repeat this movement 12-15 times
Second Exercise:
1.) Seated Rows are great for focusing effort on the Lats and back. I do a slight variation on the standard Seated V-Bar Row which are the staple for this movement.
2.) I attached straps to the D-Ring on the Seated Row machine. I grab the handles and perform a low lat row. At the top of the contraction I turn my hand slightly outward thus placing increased stress on my lats. At the same time I arch my back to get a greater range of motion and a more powerful lat contraction. After this I release the cable to the front to the bottom of the seated row. I stay sitting straight up and open up the lats on both sides as completely as possible. Then, I repeat the low cable seated row pull again. I do it for 12 reps and a for a total of 7 sets. Each rep is done with strict form and as slow as possible
Third Exercise:
1.) I like to do seated cable pull downs using soft straps. These require that I isolate my upper back and upper lats.
2.) I sit up straight and grab the soft straps on both sides. I pull down and arch my back so as to place maximum tension on my upper back and my upper lats. I arch my back and avoid swinging. Each rep causes maximum contraction in my back and lats. I repeat this for 7 sets of 12 reps.
Fourth Exercise:
1.) I love doing bent over Dumbbell Rows single hand at a time. This allows me to focus on my lats on each side and it demands that I open up my lats on each side.
2.) I place one hand on Dumbbell rack. I bent over at the waist and with my free hand I grab the dumbbell. The dumbbell is held with arm fully extended and then drawn up to the hip and slightly higher. I then lower the weight fully and then repeat the contraction by pulling up and past the hip. I do this on both sides by doing 7 sets of 12 reps.
This is basically my lat and back routine. However, there are many variations on this theme that can be employed. The whole goal is to enlarge the lats and the back. It takes tons of focus and energy to do these exercises. It is essential that we spend the time to build a great back because the judges will look at your build and will note your overall size. We dare not omit our lats and back. Their development and size lends itself to our image of being gigantic.
This is just a cursory overview of my lat and back training however it opens the door to your imagination to what is possible to get these muscles as big as possible. I consider the lats and back muscles to be the bedrock of size and daunting presence of a person who has taken the time to make them the centerpiece of their physique.
One of my bodybuilding heroes — Victor Martinez! Take special note of his back and lats
I encourage all of us who are bodybuilders or those that seek a larger physical frame to redouble the attack on the lats and back. Learn all you can about biomechanics, supplementation, growth, nutrition, and rest to get these large muscles into the game.
Never give up! Push yourself beyond your limits to gain what others who are less motivated want. None of us want to be “just like everybody else.” We want to be better! We want to excel and exceed all expectations. This is the basic tenet of athletic, academic, professional. military accomplishment. Nothing can stop me or you unless we give in and “settle” for living a mediocre existence. So don’t do it!
This is “OUR TIME!” Let’s not “die by playing in little games like most people do.”
I cannot wait for dawn—-The gym is waiting!
Until next time.
Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 