Fitness
Don’t forget those back muscles.
Its easy to forget towork your back muscles.
The lats also play an important role in anystrength training program, addsRob Wagener, a NASM-certified personal trainer.
Theyre also great at engaging the surroundingstabilizing muscles.
Read on below for a list of lat exercises with dumbbells to try.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Hinge forward at the hips so your chest is facing the ground.
Let your arms hang toward the ground.
Keep your shoulder blades pulled back.
Row the dumbbells up by pulling your elbows up and into your sides.
Open up your chest as you squeeze your lats.
Keep your shoulders back.
Lower the dumbbells down by straightening your arms.
Heres how to do it:
Stand up straight.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
Once at the top, reverse the same circular motion back down.
Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps each.
This means that the muscles are lengthened as they work.
Grab a pair of dumbbells.
Stand with your feet hips-width apart and your knees bent.
Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing each other.
Lean forward so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
Keep your core engaged.
Inhale and slowly lift your arms up and back until they are in line with your shoulders.
Exhale and lower the weights back to the starting position.
Repeat 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
4Pendlay Row
Want a challenge?
The Pendlay row allows you to use heavier dumbbells, compared to other back exercises, McSorley says.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hinge forward at your waist with your knees bent.
Keep your torso parallel to the floor.
Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip.
Keep your elbows tucked in, flex your core, and slowly draw your elbows back and up.
Bring the dumbbells toward your lower chest.
When the dumbbells touch your chest, focus on squeezing your back muscles for a few seconds.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back down.
Keep your arm extended at your side.
Lean forward so your torso is parallel to the floor.
Use your other arm for support by gently leaning on a bench.
Engage your core to stabilize your torso.
Keep your shoulder blades drawn down and back.
(Imagine putting them into your back pockets.)
Keep your arm close to your side.
Slowly lower the dumbbell down to the starting position.
Do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps on each side with moderate weight.
6Renegade Row
Julie Bobek, a trainer atFlexIt, recommends this exercise to work the lats.
She says it also adds some core work into the mix.
Start in ahigh plank positionwith your shoulders over your wrists.
Hold a medium-weight dumbbell under one hand.
Place your feet hip-width apart.
Exhale and engage your core.
Row the dumbbell back to your waist.
Keep your shoulders and hips level.
Return the weight to the floor.
Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side.
Sit on a bench.
Hold a dumbbell on one end.
Lean back on the bench and extend your arms straight above your head.
Lower the dumbbell back behind your head.
Use your lat muscles to pull the dumbbell back up to the starting position.
Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Studies referenced:
Aerenhouts, D. (2020).
Using Machines or Free Weights for Resistance Training in Novice Males?
Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness.
J Strength Cond Res.
Anatomy, Back, Latissimus Dorsi.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan. PMID: 28846224.
Lehman, G. J.
