Unable to target left lat

critter11

critter11

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So ive been having a problem for some tims, i cant seem to target my left lat. ive been training for years and am just so lost as to why i cant even when i do unilateral exercises i end up feeling it more in my tricep which is odd... It almost feels like my back is lacking actual muscle tissue because even when trying to flex it i have trouble.. My mother tells me i have slight scoliosis but it is nothing serious at all... If anyone has advice or questions to further understand whats going on it would be greatly appreciated, thankyou!
 
kjetil1234

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it's a scapular instability problem. You need to avoid retraction of the scapula while you're extending the arm. Neutral scap during arm extension will fully activate the lats.

Exercises that can help ,are acivation of the serratus anterior and middle trapezius muscles.
 
critter11

critter11

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Hey man i know its kinda late to be answering because i havent been on the threads but do you have any advice on how to really target those specific muscles to the fullest
 
smith_69

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Hey man i know its kinda late to be answering because i havent been on the threads but do you have any advice on how to really target those specific muscles to the fullest
indeed young man- first excuse the spelling mistakes- auto correct isnt working ;o)
ill explain as best as i can and if you have questions, let me know.
before you start, go in front of the mirror- bathroom or do this when you have at least a good minute without people watching, you want to slowly flex your lats and hold- picture your lats in your head, get the full vision.
now go to the lat pull down, you will need the a single handed device (kind used for curls) - just one and only 1
postion your self on the seat, you need to start off with a light wgt. you are going to start off with your strong side. knees under the pad, again, a light wgt.
your arm will be stretched upwards, bicep will be facing you. almost in the pull up postion. you want to take your left hand and place this directly over right side so you can no feel the stretch of the lat.
keep that hand there during the full set
as you begin to pull down, you should start to feel your lat getting tight and the contraction point (your elbow should now be on your right side) squeeze your lat.

remember when you flexed in the mirror? you want to feel that vision - now you are making the mind to muslce connection.

do a few more reps on the right, focus on your lat as you pull and release- now stand up, switch hands, arm at the top, right arm over you left lat and pull down, slowly. feel the contraction of the lat? you should, elbow at the side and squeeze/flex the lat.

once you have that feeling of that lat, every excecise you do for back, pull ups, t bar row, cable rows, you will now be able to flex your lat and feel it working. i can give you more, but let me know if this helped.

for those i have trained and taught, the lat is the hardest so your not alone. people just throw a lot of wgt on the oull down, put the knees under and yank away. working everything at 90% and 10 % for the lats.
 

jmaplewood

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indeed young man- first excuse the spelling mistakes- auto correct isnt working ;o)
ill explain as best as i can and if you have questions, let me know.
before you start, go in front of the mirror- bathroom or do this when you have at least a good minute without people watching, you want to slowly flex your lats and hold- picture your lats in your head, get the full vision.
now go to the lat pull down, you will need the a single handed device (kind used for curls) - just one and only 1
postion your self on the seat, you need to start off with a light wgt. you are going to start off with your strong side. knees under the pad, again, a light wgt.
your arm will be stretched upwards, bicep will be facing you. almost in the pull up postion. you want to take your left hand and place this directly over right side so you can no feel the stretch of the lat.
keep that hand there during the full set
as you begin to pull down, you should start to feel your lat getting tight and the contraction point (your elbow should now be on your right side) squeeze your lat.

remember when you flexed in the mirror? you want to feel that vision - now you are making the mind to muslce connection.

do a few more reps on the right, focus on your lat as you pull and release- now stand up, switch hands, arm at the top, right arm over you left lat and pull down, slowly. feel the contraction of the lat? you should, elbow at the side and squeeze/flex the lat.

once you have that feeling of that lat, every excecise you do for back, pull ups, t bar row, cable rows, you will now be able to flex your lat and feel it working. i can give you more, but let me know if this helped.

for those i have trained and taught, the lat is the hardest so your not alone. people just throw a lot of wgt on the oull down, put the knees under and yank away. working everything at 90% and 10 % for the lats.
I have a similar problem. So you're essentially saying to feel the lat work with your opposite hand when doing the lift? And pull down in a chinup like position with elbow and arm in front or out to the side?
 
smith_69

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basically- its really just a 1 arm lat pull down- reason for standing in the mirror is to remind/get the (sorry about the spelling of the rest of this) visual of what muscle group you are doing.

so if your left arm was up in the air as if you were doing a pull up, place your right arm across your body so your hand is over the lat. keep it there the whole time while doing the excercise- dont need a lot of wgt, just enough to start getting the movement done correctly. you should start to feel the lat on the pull down. when your left elbow is pulled down to your side (which will now be over your right hand) slowly squeeze and tighten your lat. your should start to feel it expand.

it will take a few tries, dont say f this and give up (hence the reason for the light wgt) you will get it. once you hit that contraction, that flex, you will be able to do that on cable rows, bent over db rows, t bar, pull ups and lat pull downs.

if you dont get the motion, take a break from it, but once you do, i promise you this- if you hit that contraction on the above mentioned excercises, you will start to see development in your lats, faster than what you are doing now.

years ago, i hated doing back- why? because it never really grew- im pulling large wgt down on the lat pull down, wide grip pull ups, but im not getting that V or cobra back. then i became a p/t and got more involved with lifting. didnt make it my life, but the time i spent i made the most of it. once you zone in on the movement and how the muscle responds, b building becomes a whole new world

i have always said the same thing Kai Greene says- YOU MUST MAKE THAT MIND TO MUSCLE CONNECTION. it applies to all parts of the body.

i hope this helps and if you need anything else, dont hesitate bro
 

jmaplewood

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Thanks bro this should help a lot. Back day on Friday so I'm going to try them before my routine. I've only been lifting for a couple years, and now I'm really starting to understand about mind muscle connection. Still struggling with lats and pecs though.
 
smith_69

smith_69

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Thanks bro this should help a lot. Back day on Friday so I'm going to try them before my routine. I've only been lifting for a couple years, and now I'm really starting to understand about mind muscle connection. Still struggling with lats and pecs though.
sounds good and let me know how it works. again, need any help, dont hesitate
 

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