By working the lats, you give your spine and shoulder joints more stability, which can help you avoid annoying aches and pains as you get older.
Lower Lat Exercises for Men
Check out these five lower lat exercises that can help men build a stronger back.
1) Wide Grip Lat Pull Down
The wide grip lat pulldown works the outer and lower parts of the lats more than the traditional close grip version. With the wider grip, the biceps and forearms don’t have to work as hard, as the elbows don’t have to bend as much.
It means the lats have to work harder to pull the weight down. Also, the wide grip allows a change of the angle of t aherms so that you can pull your elbows from high and out to close and in. That makes the lats contract.
Here’s how you do this exercise:
Face the lat pulldown machine, and fit your thighs in between the pad and the machine. Take a wide overhand grip on the bar, and hold it tight. Lean your torso back a little bit, and take a deep breath. Pull the bar towards your chest, keeping your core tight, and let out an exhalation. Stop for a second, and slowly move back to the starting position. Perform the number of reps as directed by your trainer.
2) Straight Arm Lat Pull Down
The straight arm lat pulldown is one of the most underrated and best exercises to build up the lower lats. Even though this exercise is called a shoulder extension, it has a big effect on developing the lower lats.
Here’s how you do this exercise:
Set a rope or a bar up on your pulley system or lat pulldown machine. Stand under the bar or rope, and use an overhand grip to grab it. Step back a little to give the cable space and tension. Turn your hips a little so that your arms are at an angle, and the elbows are in line with your ears. Keeping your arms straight, bring them down towards your hips while squeezing the shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement. Turn the movement around, and go back to the starting position, making sure to stretch the lower lats.
3) Seated Band Row
The seated band row allows the body to move freely because of how the band is made. That lets you get the most out of the body’s range of motion, which is something not possible with barbells or dumbbells.
Here’s how you do this exercise:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you. Loop a resistance band around the middle of your feet, and hold each end in your hands. Keeping your back straight, extend your arms fully, and row your elbows till they pass your torso. Keep your elbows close to your sides to work the lower lats better.
4) Dumbbell Row to Hip
Dumbbell rows are a great alternative to a standard rowing machine and one of the best exercises for your lower lats.
This exercise is a variation on the single-arm dumbbell row. The slight tweak made in this exercise alters the range of motion, which works the lower lats more.
Here’s how you do this exercise:
Put the non-using hand on a bench or rack, and take a big step back with the leg you’re not using. Holding the dumbbell firmly on the inside of your front foot, row it to the outside of your hip. Keep your shoulders down and chest up. Stop for a second, and slowly move back to the starting position. Do that as many times as you can.
5) Underhand Bent Over Row
The traditional bent over row is performed using an overhand grip. An underhand grip can make the movement better for working the lower lats.
Here’s how you do this exercise:
Set a barbell of desired weight in front of you on the ground. Move your feet under the bar, and get into a deadlift position (neutral back). Grab the bar with your underhands, and stand up straight. Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips, and bring your head down till you are bent over. Pull the barbell towards your belly button while squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top. Slowly bring the weight back to their initial position.
Takeaway
Everyone who wants to get in better shape and get stronger needs to work on their lats.
Among the aforementioned exercises, the underhand bent over row is the best for building the lower lats. It lets you lift heavy weights to build up the thickness of the lower lats. Nevertheless, all five exercises can help you work up the lats well.
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