What works better for lat width?

**Polska** · 06-19-2009, 10:17 AM

Wide grip chins or wide grip lat pulldowns? Which do you prefer for lat width?

If neither tell me which exercise works best for you?

**Big** · 06-19-2009, 10:19 AM

I actually like pull-ups with a shoulder wide grip best, I prefer those to wide grip.

**Dukkit** · 06-19-2009, 10:28 AM

i dont go that wide on pull ups

seems to be working well for me.

also pull downs but with palms facing your ears have been helping

**eatrainrest** · 06-19-2009, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Big

I actually like pull-ups with a shoulder wide grip best, I prefer those to wide grip.

why cuz you can do more

**Big** · 06-19-2009, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by eatrainrest

why cuz you can do more

Because it allows a greater range of motion. I can do more wide grip.

**xnotoriousx** · 06-19-2009, 11:00 AM

I always get shoulder pain when doing wide grip pulls, damn i hate it.

**eatrainrest** · 06-19-2009, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Big

Because it allows a greater range of motion. I can do more wide grip.

i agree with you on this.. if im not mistaken, I believe there is no science that backs up the difference of hand placement in back exercises and targeting back width

**Free Will** · 06-19-2009, 11:37 PM

yea definately wide grip chins for me and wide grip lat pulldowns

**jbm** · 06-20-2009, 12:01 AM

^^x2

**green22** · 06-20-2009, 11:35 AM

pull-ups work good for me

**ty357** · 06-20-2009, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by dukkitdalaw

i dont go that wide on pull ups

seems to be working well for me.

also pull downs but with palms facing your ears have been helping

im gonna try that way

**kaptainkeezy04** · 06-20-2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Polska

Wide grip chins or wide grip lat pulldowns? Which do you prefer for lat width?

If neither tell me which exercise works best for you?

If you had two twins, and one did wide grip chins, and the other did wide grip lat pulldowns, the one doing the chins would have a much better back. You can't really compare a machine exercise to the physical and mental stress that a freeweight exercise is putting on your body, even though it is technically working the same muscle with the same motion. For a long time, I was doing assisted chin ups so I could focus on the squeezing motion at the top, but I was never really under any true physical or mental stress that regular chin ups put on you. I never worried about being able to get at least 6-8 reps, and when you aren't doing that, you aren't really lifting heavy. In my opinion, heavy lifting means when you start your set, you are praying that you get to that rep range you set for yourself. I kind of got off topic here, but I hope this helps.

**eatrainrest** · 06-20-2009, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by kaptainkeezy04

If you had two twins, and one did wide grip chins, and the other did wide grip lat pulldowns, the one doing the chins would have a much better back. You can't really compare a machine exercise to the physical and mental stress that a freeweight exercise is putting on your body, even though it is technically working the same muscle with the same motion. For a long time, I was doing assisted chin ups so I could focus on the squeezing motion at the top, but I was never really under any true physical or mental stress that regular chin ups put on you. I never worried about being able to get at least 6-8 reps, and when you aren't doing that, you aren't really lifting heavy. In my opinion, heavy lifting means when you start your set, you are praying that you get to that rep range you set for yourself. I kind of got off topic here, but I hope this helps.

i cant imagine what goes through your head during a set lol

**kaptainkeezy04** · 06-20-2009, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by eatrainrest

i cant imagine what goes through your head during a set lol

hahaha! Honestly, when I step up to the bar to do some chin ups, I have a million things running through my head. Have I rested long enough? Have I rested too long? I don't wanna look like a *****, and have to stop after 5 reps. Should I squeeze at the top for this set? Should I ask for someone to help me in case I can't reach my rep range? etc, etc, etc. I think it is good to be under this much mental stress, as well as physical stress during a workout, because if you start each set knowing that you will reach your rep goal with no problem or much stress, then

**TRT,MAN** · 06-20-2009, 05:20 PM

i like wide grip pull ups. gives me good stretch at the bottom also i get great blood pummped inside of muscle right out the gate.

**Dont wanna be old** · 06-20-2009, 05:38 PM

If you stand in front of mirror , put arms up if police ordered you to . Look at your lats. Now bring you elbows close like you finished a close grip pull down . look at your lats . I like taking the single handles from cable cross overs and attach to pull downs. I change my style pull downs weekly .

**Manorexic** · 06-20-2009, 05:59 PM

wide grip chins and wide pressdowns

***FireGuy*** · 06-20-2009, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Manorexic

wide grip chins and wide pressdowns

What is a wide press down and how does it work your back muscles?

**kaptainkeezy04** · 06-20-2009, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

What is a wide press down and how does it work your back muscles?

the only thing i can imagine this guy talking about is where the long bar is attatched the stack of weights and you stand in front of it with the bar at head height and pull it down and back towards you. but there are better exercises in my opinion.

**eatrainrest** · 06-20-2009, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by kaptainkeezy04

the only thing i can imagine this guy talking about is where the long bar is attatched the stack of weights and you stand in front of it with the bar at head height and pull it down and back towards you. but there are better exercises in my opinion.

yea tahts more of a teres major and minor area...and not great for back width at all IMO

***FireGuy*** · 06-20-2009, 07:15 PM

I was hoping to get his reasoning behind it before I got argumentative about it.

***FireGuy*** · 06-20-2009, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by dontwannabold

If you stand in front of mirror , put arms up if police ordered you to . Look at your lats. Now bring you elbows close like you finished a close grip pull down . look at your lats . I like taking the single handles from cable cross overs and attach to pull downs. I change my style pull downs weekly .

I love the dual handles for lat pulls, allows for natural rotation of the wrists. I think wide grip=wide back is on of the greater fallacies with back development. Give me a mid or even close grip exercise which allows for a much greater range of motion any day of the week.

**eatrainrest** · 06-20-2009, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

I love the dual handles for lat pulls, allows for natural rotation of the wrists. I think wide grip=wide back is on of the greater fallacies with back development. Give me a mid or even close grip exercise which allows for a much greater range of motion any day of the week.

i agree 100 percent, no science proves otherwise

**kaptainkeezy04** · 06-20-2009, 08:22 PM

I don't really need science to prove it to me. I can feel it much better when I do wide chins, which is why I usually have to make slight adjustments in my first 3 reps on chin ups, so that I can get the right width.

**bakie** · 06-21-2009, 01:31 PM

If there is a smith machine in your gym, most will have to angled down bars on the sides... Do wide grip pullups on that and you will burn worse then you could imagine.

**cubnlynx** · 06-23-2009, 11:49 AM

I feel with wide grip the range of motion is less I personally don't like them but you know the best way to train a muscle is variouse angles. Also some people are blessed with big lats or a big chest or huge arms it's genetic. But that doesn't mean they won't grow

**kojak_x** · 06-23-2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by kaptainkeezy04

If you had two twins, and one did wide grip chins, and the other did wide grip lat pulldowns, the one doing the chins would have a much better back. You can't really compare a machine exercise to the physical and mental stress that a freeweight exercise is putting on your body, even though it is technically working the same muscle with the same motion. For a long time, I was doing assisted chin ups so I could focus on the squeezing motion at the top, but I was never really under any true physical or mental stress that regular chin ups put on you. I never worried about being able to get at least 6-8 reps, and when you aren't doing that, you aren't really lifting heavy. In my opinion, heavy lifting means when you start your set, you are praying that you get to that rep range you set for yourself. I kind of got off topic here, but I hope this helps.

Great example.

**(1*)** · 06-23-2009, 04:18 PM

olympic ring pull ups.
start sitting on the ground. grasp the rings in "palms forwards, chin up position". keep your legs out infront of you making an L with your body. pull your self off the ground as you turn your hands into a "palms facing you, pull up position". at the start your hands are just passed shoulder width and at the top of the movement yor hands are just inside shoulder length position.

TRUST ME

**beatupathelete** · 07-12-2009, 08:25 PM

I think both are great exercises. I really concentrate on the eccentric phase on both exercises and try to imagine every last muscle fiber in my lats being exhausted. After I complete my sets I'll do a static set and try to hold my chin to the bar doing little pulsing movements for 20 sec or so to ensure I exhaust every last fiber.

**muscle_20** · 07-12-2009, 10:06 PM

I prefer lat pulldowns these days that said heavy weighted chin ups built my width now these days i dont worry about building more width as i need to bring up other body parts so i find a few sets of lat pull downs to be enough to maintain.

**bmit** · 07-14-2009, 05:24 PM

back is my best bodypart, and i prefer go wide. Seems to cause more muscle hypertrophy. But my genetics are good for back as well, so could be coincidental

**ninesecz** · 07-14-2009, 05:59 PM

I always do 4 sets of wide grip pullups to failure at the start of my workout. they have always worked great for me. I c=kind of do them as an exercise / stretching movement