Wider Lats?

**British Bulldog** · 10-21-2003, 08:24 AM

I need some advice on gaining width on my lats, currently they are quite thick but lacking in width.
This is my workout for lats:-

Wide grip lat pulldowns behind neck: 12reps warm-up, 10,10,8,6,4 reps.
Bent-over rows: 12,10,8,6,4 reps.
Seated rows: 10,8,6 reps.

My training partner suggested using a narrow grip when doing bent-over rows, he claimed this would target the outer lats. Is this correct?

**DBarcelo** · 10-21-2003, 12:22 PM

I never really thought about it, but I've always done narrow grip bent over rows (using a "V" shaped lat bar) and my lats are very wide. I don't know if that's the reason or not, but I'd say just try it, what's the worst that'll happen?

**palme** · 10-21-2003, 12:37 PM

Chins! Wide grip chins baby!

**hoss827** · 10-21-2003, 01:04 PM

Wide grip chins work best really, thats my opinion. I've heard most guys say how chin ups are supposed to affect only the biceps...what a load. I myself don't have that great of lats, but once i started working on them they've gotten alot wider and stronger. The bent over rows sound good, just throw in a few sets of wide grip chin-ups, or alternate them every time you do your workout for your back...one day chins without bent over rows...next bent over rows without chins...Good luck bro,

**Tayman** · 10-21-2003, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by hoss827

Wide grip chins work best really, thats my opinion. I've heard most guys say how chin ups are supposed to affect only the biceps...what a load. I myself don't have that great of lats, but once i started working on them they've gotten alot wider and stronger. The bent over rows sound good, just throw in a few sets of wide grip chin-ups, or alternate them every time you do your workout for your back...one day chins without bent over rows...next bent over rows without chins...Good luck bro,

I feel that pullups(overhand grip) have worked the best for me. I really couldn't do very many at first, but I kept doing them until I worked my way up. It seems like most if not all of my upper body lifts, deadlifts, and squats have increased after doing this.

**Fullback57** · 10-22-2003, 02:13 PM

I'd recommend anything Wide Grip.......especially chins/pulldowns-but remember to keep the movement under control, i see alot of people getting sloppy in form when they do wide grip chins/pulldowns

**bornbad71** · 10-22-2003, 06:09 PM

Wide grip pullups works very good for me....have worked my way up to being able to add weight...remember full range of motion and stay under control....sloppy form can cause injury.

Another thing I started doing(last couple weeks) is after I finish each exercise for back is a bottom 1/4 pullup.....goes like this:
start as wide as possible and hang for 5 secs.
them perform 1/4 reps(only pulling up about 2-4" then lower).
after 10 reps hang for another 10 secs. for a good stretch.
So if u do 4 exercises for lats....that would be 4 sets of 1/4 rep pullups.
Got this out of a mag. but don't remember which one....it really makes the sides of my lats sore.

**LightWeightBaby** · 10-25-2003, 05:02 PM

weighted widegrip pull ups they are amazing. wide grip lat pull downs work well to go real heavy get someone to spot you from behind so u can get that last rep max in that is what makes them grow.

Swellin · 10-25-2003, 10:41 PM

I started seeing a big difference by doing pull downs in front. Don't go too wide, you lose some range of motion...go two hand widths outside of your shoulders. Focus on moving the weight with your shoulder blades, rather than your shoulders or arms. Bring the bar all the way down to your chest, and slowly let it back up. It simulates doing chins, but does not seem to put the pressure on my shoulder that wide grip chins puts.

**Tayman** · 10-26-2003, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by swellin

I started seeing a big difference by doing pull downs in front. Don't go too wide, you lose some range of motion...go two hand widths outside of your shoulders. Focus on moving the weight with your shoulder blades, rather than your shoulders or arms. Bring the bar all the way down to your chest, and slowly let it back up. It simulates doing chins, but does not seem to put the pressure on my shoulder that wide grip chins puts.

you don't have to give up chinups/pullups. Just don't go so wide. You can still build an immense back without going wide as hell.

Swellin · 10-26-2003, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Tayman

you don't have to give up chinups/pullups. Just don't go so wide. You can still build an immense back without going wide as hell.

Oops, I didn't mean that I gave them up. I just meant that this is a nice thing to use in conjunction with chins. I did give up doing them extremely wide though.

Instead of doing really wide chins, I can go wide on the front lat pulls with weight that is less than my body weight. This does not hurt my shoulder like the wide chins.

I agree that one does not have to go extremely wide all of the time to buiold a nice back.

**Gear** · 11-18-2003, 11:41 PM

wide gripo chinssssss

**saboudian** · 11-19-2003, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by bornbad71

Wide grip pullups works very good for me....have worked my way up to being able to add weight...remember full range of motion and stay under control....sloppy form can cause injury.

Another thing I started doing(last couple weeks) is after I finish each exercise for back is a bottom 1/4 pullup.....goes like this:
start as wide as possible and hang for 5 secs.
them perform 1/4 reps(only pulling up about 2-4" then lower).
after 10 reps hang for another 10 secs. for a good stretch.

Got this out of a mag. but don't remember which one....it really makes the sides of my lats sore.

This is actually a pretty refreshing idea, acutally somewhat similar to how I do calves, I think I might experiment with this idea.

**bornbad71** · 11-22-2003, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by saboudian

This is actually a pretty refreshing idea, acutally somewhat similar to how I do calves, I think I might experiment with this idea.

Bro I was just wondering if ya tried it yet.......I used it again this week and the wings of my lats get so sore.......kinda like a shock factor at the end of each exercise.

**markas214** · 11-22-2003, 11:52 PM

Wide grip chins but, there are some people who genetically just don't get wide vee shaped lats. They tend to get thicker but not wider. You can do the chins, wide grip pulls front and rear and if you don't see much improvement but increased strength you may just not have that type of physique.