Strong back muscles are the foundation of a fit body. At the same time, there is hardly a better way to prevent back problems in our world characterized by constant sitting. The lat machine is an ideal tool for building a strong and healthy back. But what are the best exercises to do with the lat machine?
Basic information about exercises with the lat machine
The workout on the lat machine is primarily aimed at the back muscles. First and foremost the broad back muscle, also called latissimus. If you want to have a wide back with the characteristic V-shape, this is "your" muscle. The trapezius muscle in the upper back, the rear area of the deltoid muscle and the biceps and brachialis in the upper arm are also used, along with numerous auxiliary muscles.
Whether you perform the exercises on a guided lat machine or on a lat machine with cable pulley does not matter. The only difference is that the rigid guide is easier to use, especially for beginners. After all, the likelihood of errors due to the guide is smaller.
How do I train correctly with the lat machine?
Exercise 1 - Lat pulldown in wide
The wide lat pulldown in overhand grip is one of the most popular exercises with the lat pulldown machine. It is particularly easy due to the stable guidance on the machine. The wide grip also allows you to achieve excellent tension up to the base of the latissimus.
1. Grasp the handles of the machine in an overhand grip that is clearly wider than shoulder width. Your knuckles should be facing the ceiling.
2. Lock your legs into the pads so they cannot move.
3. Lean back a little and assume a slight hollow back until you feel a basic tension in your lower back.
4. Slowly pull the handle down until you are at about the level of your larynx.
5. Slowly return to the starting position. Make sure you don't fully extend your arms, though.
Exercise 2 - Lat pulldown with tight overhand grip
Basically, this exercise works the same way as the wide version. The difference, however, is that you grasp the bar or the handles of the machine as tightly as possible in the overhand grip. In this variation, the focus shifts slightly away from the dominant latissimus, so that the trapezius muscle, the posterior shoulder and the brachialis take on significantly more work.
Exercise 3 - Lat pulldown in underhand grip
Since the movement sequence for the lat pulldown in the underhand grip works analogously to the lat pulldown in the overhand grip, we don't need to explain much at this point. However, it is important that you grip the handles or the bar of the lat pulldown machine a little more than shoulder width in the underhand grip. This allows you to reach the latissimus more in its depth and relieve the brachialis, while the biceps do more additional work.
Conclusion
The combination of the wide lat in the overhand and underhand grip is ideal for a back workout in this order. This way you can get everything out of the back muscles without the upper arms becoming the limiting factor too soon. Lat machine exercises are also great for preparing for challenging basic exercises like pull-ups and barbell rowing.
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Editorial fitnessmarkt.de (EA)
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Published on: 4 February 2020