DO THIS to Develop Larger Lats

Lat Engagement is one of my most favorite things to teach people. This muscle group is often low in neuromuscular engagement for many people despite being tight from poor posture.

One of the best ways to improve your neuromuscular (mind-muscle) connection to ANY muscle is to think about where the muscles originate and insert on the body (yes, you might need to do some Googling). From there, it’ll help you visualize how to maneuver your body to generate the most intense contraction ever. Contraction is maximized by bringing the origin and all instertion points of a muscle AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE to each other.

The lats connect in 3 general places on the body:
1️⃣Humerus Bone (upper arm)
2️⃣Mid Spine (multiple sites)
3️⃣Low Back (ilium crest)
*there are a couple more*

When your Lats contract they do the following:
1️⃣Externally Rotates Humerus Bone (bicep rotates up)
2️⃣Depress Shoulder Blades (pull down)
3️⃣Extends Humerus Bone (pull elbow behind body)
4️⃣Aids Spine Extension
5️⃣Aids Spine Rotation

The cue to “Reach Far” in the video helps pre-stretch the lat, and reinforces scapular depression/relaxation in the mindset. Think through these things when doing your next back day.

If you give this a try, let me know how it goes!

- Coach Aylor