Lower Lat Targeting

[Doss]

I've been putting a lot of effort into hitting my back, and I've been getting stronger, but I can't seem to get the feel for targeting the lower lat. I'm using my college gym so my back workout includes these exercises:

Wide Grip Pull UPs 4x14 +45lbs
BB Rows 3x12
Chin Ups 3x12
1 Arm Rows 3x10

I also alternate deadlifting, and will throw in pullovers a couple times per month just to spice things up.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for targeting the lower lat fibers? I'm getting wider, but thickness towards the bottom of the muscle has been hard to come by. In a couple of months I'll have access to a pull-down machine, which I found to be effective, but I'm 19 weeks out from my first show and I want to hammer some weak points.

[AZMIDLYF]

I find that an underhand grip with hands just inside shoulder width for pull ups hits mine.

[Torobestia]

I find that an underhand grip with hands just inside shoulder width for pull ups hits mine.

I was just about to say this. Any other pulling movement with similar hand placement will do this, including I believe bent over rows with underhand grip (I'm fairly certain this does almost zero for upper lats, though).

[Doss]

I'll start adding some more weight to my chin ups and experiment with different hand placement.

Toro, I'll experiment a bit on the rows and see how it feels. Hitting my back on Friday.

[John Smeton]

under-grip barbell rows

cable rows with a rope-you can go back further

a nautilus compouund row machine-chest against pad, back arches and squeeze with them lats

[ZiR RED]

You confuse lat with teres major. Teres major is often referred to as the "upper lat". In either case, wider grip pulls ups and movements that involve shoulder adduction work the teres quite a bit. If you want to work the lat, then you need to use exercises that involve shoulder extension...such as chin ups, neutral grip pull ups/downs, db rows, etc.



Br

[FubarFit]

I like the long bar rows. You can do them with one arm I usually use both and really feel my lats after mainly middle and even lower. Heres a link to a video demonstrating the long bar row http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvs92rih3s

[ISU152]

You confuse lat with teres major. Teres major is often referred to as the "upper lat". In either case, wider grip pulls ups and movements that involve shoulder adduction work the teres quite a bit. If you want to work the lat, then you need to use exercises that involve shoulder extension...such as chin ups, neutral grip pull ups/downs, db rows, etc.




Br

What would be an example of a movement that targets the teres major?

[asooneyeonig]

What would be an example of a movement that targets the teres major?

http://exrx.net/Muscles/TeresMajor.html
http://exrx.net/Lists/ExList/BackWt.html#anchor125439

[superbeast668]

under-grip barbell rows

cable rows with a rope-you can go back further

a nautilus compouund row machine-chest against pad, back arches and squeeze with them lats

had a t-bar nautilus or hammer style machine in my gym with the chest pad that you laid face down on, had neutral and regular over/underhand grips on it. the neutral grip hit my lats so hard. it almost felt as if i never worked them before i was sore for like 3 days off it. if not try a bent over with a neutral shoulderwidth grip on it.

almost forgot.. dumb bell pull overs. i tried them off a high cable with a wider grip but could never get the right range of motion off of it.

[MuscleGauge1]

Congrats on the strong gains. Keep lifting. Often and heavy

[Doss]

I finally pinned down the feeling that I was looking for and have noticed nice improvements by implementing it into my program. I've noticed that it to really 'feel' the exercise in the lower lat I have to focus on rowing and keeping my elbows as low as possible, and pulling to my solar plexus towards the bar while arching the back.

It's a pretty subtle move, but in the last 3-4 weeks I've really noticed that I'm getting wider towards the bottom of the lat because of the new fiber activation. I think I should point out, though, that for me they're much harder the original exercise when you're really getting a good contraction. For example, I went from 4x14 +45lbs on pull-ups to 3x10 on the bodyweight only with focus on the contraction and I was grunting through the last few reps on the 2nd and 3rd sets.

Hope that helps somebody!