Lat exercises with dumbbells

Most lifters in the gym are familiar with their lats — the large, fan-shaped muscle that occupies most of your back.

There is a lot of information on building a broad back with recommendations for all sorts of exercises. One muscle group arguably has the most significant impact on how your back looks: the latissimus dorsi, commonly known as the lats. This article covers lats functions and anatomy, how to activate them, and 8 of the best dumbbell lat exercises to experiment with in your training. The lats, also known as the latissimus dorsi, refer to a pair of large, triangular muscles in the upper body 1. The latissimus dorsi muscles cover a significant portion of the middle and upper back and are responsible for many motions. Your lats run from below the shoulder blades, along both sides of the spine, and connect to the pelvis 1.

Lat exercises with dumbbells

The lats also play an important role in any strength training program , adds Rob Wagener , a NASM-certified personal trainer. While there are specific machines that focus on the lats at the gym — like the lat pulldown — you can always reach this area with a set of dumbbells , says Lalitha McSorley, PT, a physical therapist and personal trainer at Brentwood Physio. This is one of the most fundamental dumbbell exercises for the lats , says TJ Mentus , a certified personal trainer. Another option is the reverse fly, a move that targets the lat muscles by working them in an eccentric contraction, McSorley says. Want a challenge? As a bonus, this move also targets your rhomboids, biceps , glutes, hamstrings, and rear deltoids. You could also focus on one side of your body at a time. Julie Bobek , a trainer at FlexIt , recommends this exercise to work the lats. She says it also adds some core work into the mix. To work your lats as well as your biceps, triceps, and pecs, try a lat pullover — a move McSorley is a fan of for upper body strength. Aerenhouts, D.

By performing these with a neutral or supinated grip they become a great option for lat training with dumbbells.

When you think of lat exercises, you probably think about deadlifts, pushdowns, or lat pull-downs. But, did you know you can use dumbbells to effectively train this muscle area? Rows are a popular example, but there are plenty of dumbbell pull exercises you can try today. There are plenty of benefits that come with using dumbbells to train your lats. The main benefit is that it allows each arm and hand to function independently from each other through the entire range of motion. This may also allow a greater level of muscle activation and contraction at the end of your range of motion. Grab a pair of hex dumbbells and try some movements today!

Dumbbells prove to be competitive alternatives to cable machines when performing lat exercises and may be utilized through the following exercises: single-arm dumbbell rows, bent-over dumbbell rows, dumbbell pullovers, dumbbell Pendlay rows, renegade rows, and Kroc rows. And though most dumbbell lats exercises put the body in awkward positions, they are fantastic in building that V-shaped body most people covet. Except for the trapezius, it covers practically all of the back muscles at the posterior trunk. The lats belong to the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles, together with the levator scapulae, trapezius, and rhomboid muscles. The latissimus dorsi is considered a muscle that contributes to both thoracic chest and brachial arm motion. The latissimus dorsi has attachments to the spine, ribs, pelvis, scapula, and humerus. It acts on the shoulder joint to extend, internally rotate, and adduct the arm. Furthermore, it is an accessory breathing muscle which means it also aids in respiration by expanding the circumference of the ribs during inspiration. The pulling motion used in dumbbell lats exercises also engages the traps, rear deltoids, rhomboids major and minor, teres major, teres minor, biceps brachii, and the forearm muscles. The scapula is connected to a number of smaller muscles on the upper back including the rhomboids, teres major, teres minor, and infraspinatus.

Lat exercises with dumbbells

Updated On: May 09, And of course, by this, we're talking fully developed and well-built lats that protrude to the point of making it look as though you have wings. Development of your lats can say a lot about your training, either showing that you're faking your work in the gym or you're lifting some serious weight and know what you're doing. In addition, your lats may be the most important muscle you can build, and spending time developing them will greatly improve your aesthetics. Everyone wants the V-taper, and the only way to achieve this is by having wide lats that protrude from your sides. While many people may "train" the lats, often this means doing some lat pull downs and calling it a day. If this is you, you're missing out on some other great lat moves using dumbbells, which we're about to discuss in detail. Latissimus dorsi is the technical term for your lats.

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Greenland DKK kr. Begin with one dumbbell on the floor. Anatomy, Back, Latissimus Dorsi. A Randomized Parallel Trial. TJ Mentus , certified personal trainer. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Moldova MDL L. Julie Bobek , a trainer at FlexIt , recommends this exercise to work the lats. However, dumbbells and horizontal pulling movements can be used and tailored effectively to target the lats. This fact alone makes it pretty obvious why you need to start taking your lat workouts seriously if you're not already.

The lats also play an important role in any strength training program , adds Rob Wagener , a NASM-certified personal trainer. While there are specific machines that focus on the lats at the gym — like the lat pulldown — you can always reach this area with a set of dumbbells , says Lalitha McSorley, PT, a physical therapist and personal trainer at Brentwood Physio.

If you feel unstable, you can place your feet on the ground to help stabilize yourself but don't use them to push or help generate force. Comoros KMF Fr. While many people may "train" the lats, often this means doing some lat pull downs and calling it a day. The dumbbell seal row is performed by laying face down on a bench with your feet off the ground. In: StatPearls [Internet]. If that's not possible, you'll need to do an incline seal row. Pullovers come close to being the best dumbbell exercise for lats. Julie Bobek , trainer at FlexIt. It can be challenging to lean forward enough and maintain a neutral back to set the dumbbells on the floor between reps. Our goal is to be your primary resource for all fitness inquiries, guiding you toward a stronger and healthier life. Using jerking motions on each rep can allow you to lift more weight at the expense of proper muscle activation. If you have long arms , you may need to elevate the bench to maintain the same angle. For more dumbbell back workouts and exercises , check out the full post.