What is the first thing you notice when you look at the back of a bodybuilder? The first thing that captures the eyes is the V-shape structure of the back, and then the muscles.
The pronounced V-shape is a hallmark of a well-developed lats. If you want to sculpt an attractive physique, training the back (especially the latissimus dorsi muscles, or lats) should be the center of your workout.
The latissimus dorsi muscles are the largest muscle in your upper body that extends from your sacrum in the lower back up to your shoulders. These muscles make your back look broader and more defined.
But they're more than just visual assets. These muscles are important for movement in your upper body, for improving posture, and for preventing injuries. From lifting and pulling to maintaining an upright posture, your lats work tirelessly behind the scenes.
In this blog, we’ll give you some highly effective lats workouts at home to build back strength and better posture.
Benefits of Having a Strong Lats
80% of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives, often due to poor posture and weak back muscles. So you see, the importance of having a strong back (especially the lats) is far more important than you think.
Enhance your Daily Movements
When you pull or lift something, your lats supply a large part of the force. The stronger your lats, the easier it gets for you to do other physical exercises. Even for doing your daily life activities, your lats play a big role. With strong lats, you also enhance the stability, performance, and endurance of your entire upper body.
Improve your Posture
Your lats, also known as “wing” extend from your lower back to your upper arm. Well-conditioned lats help keep the spine and shoulder in place, which leads to a more upright posture and a stable shoulder.
When you have a properly aligned spine and shoulder, it minimizes the risk of back pain and a hunched appearance. If you have a hunched back, the best thing to do is start a lats workout at home.
Aesthetic Benefits
As mentioned in the intro, the first thing you notice when you look at the back of a bodybuilder is their coveted V-shaped torso. Having a V-shaped back dramatically enhances your overall physical appearance. No matter what design shirt or T-shirt you wear, it will always look good on you. This is the reason why fitness models obsess in building lats.
Basic Equipment for Doing Lats Workout at Home
Lats are big muscles. If you want to build a really big Lats like the bodybuilders, then you should get a gym membership. Though doing a lats workout at home can build back strength and better posture, they won’t be as bulky as the bodybuilder.
For doing back exercises at home, here are some basic equipment you’ll need.
- Yoga Mat - Mats are mainly used for providing cushion and to avoid slippery. You’ll need it for doing exercises like reverse snow angels, superman holds, and swimmers.
- Towels - Towels are used for wiping off sweat, but you can also it as a prop for exercises like doorway rows and other improvised resistance exercises.
- A Sturdy Bench, Chair, or Step - You need this for supporting your body during step-ups and single-arm rows.
- Dumbbells - Go for adjustable dumbbells to maximize your workout outcomes.
- Pull-Up Bar - You can use your doorway, install a wall-mounted bar, or design your pull-up bar in the backyard.
- Resistance Bands - This prop is used for adding extra resistance to exercises. You can use it for resistance band pulldowns, and doorway rows exercises. Resistance bands come with different resistance levels. So, choose the one that best fits your needs or you can buy a set of different resistance levels.
Do Your Warm-Up
Before you engage in any exercise, it's important to prepare your body. Warming up your body helps prevent injuries, increase heart rate, and increase blood flow to your muscles. You can do 10 to 15 minutes of steady-state cardio like jogging, walking, or cycling. Or you can do interval training for 5 minutes.
After the cardio, make sure to do some dynamic stretches that particularly focus on your back and shoulders. Stretching will help loosen up the muscles and increase the range of motion.
10 Lats Workout at Home for Building Strong Back
Whether it be at home or the gym, there is no need to work your lats every day. Two days per week is enough to get your lats going! One day should be dedicated to mobility and form and the other to isolation strength work. You can easily divide your sets of lats work over two days with a mix of different exercises.
Exercise 1 - Reverse Snow Angels
This exercise activates your lats and improves your shoulder mobility. You can use a resistance band to make the exercise even more challenging. For using the resistance band, you need to tie one end to a wall or a pole.
- Lie face down on the floor with your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
- Slowly lift your arms and legs off the ground.
- Move your arms in a snow-angel motion while keeping your head and chest lifted.
- Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Exercise 2 - Superman Holds
This exercise targets your back extensor and lats. To increase the difficulty level, you can add a lightweight to your hands.
- Position yourself to how you position for reverse snow angels. Face down with your arms extended in front of you.
- Lift your arms, legs, and chest off the ground, holding the 'Superman' position.
- Hold it in the position for as long as you can and release it.
- Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Exercise 3 - Swimmers
This exercise engages your lats and improves your shoulder stability and coordination.
- Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended.
- Lift your alternate arm and leg off the ground as if swimming.
- Add ankle weights or increase the pace to make it more challenging.
- Do 5 repetitions for 2 minutes each.
Exercise 4 - Resistance Band Pulldowns
This exercise is similar to doing a lats pulldown with a machine. For this lats workout at home, you’ll need a resistance band. You can use different resistance-level bands to make the workout even more challenging. The best part about this exercise is that it directly targets your latissimus dorsi muscle.
- Secure a resistance band overhead.
- Grab the band with both hands.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged, and pull the band down towards your chest.
- Hold and slowly release it back up.
- Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
Exercise 5 - Bent-Over Rows
This exercise targets your lats and overall upper back. To make the work more difficult, you can do single-arm rows or try different resistance levels.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees.
- Lean forward at your waist, keeping your back flat.
- Hold a dumbbell or resistance band in one hand, letting it hang towards the floor.
- Pull the weight or band towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Slowly lower it back down.
- Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
Exercise 6 - Plank Rows
This exercise is the best exercise to engage your core and engage your lats.
- Get into a plank position with dumbbells in each hand.
- Row one dumbbell up towards your hip while stabilizing your body with the other arm.
- Switch sides and repeat.
- Do 4 sets of 15 repetitions on each side.
Exercise 7 - Lats Pushdowns
If you want to grow your lats muscles faster, this is one of the best exercises you should do. This exercise is very similar to band pulldowns. The only difference is you do the exercise standing.
- Secure a resistance band overhead. Choose a band that has strong resistance.
- Bend your knees a bit, angle your body, and keep your back straight.
- Pull the band with both hands, keeping your arms close to your body.
- Hold for 2 to 3 seconds and let it go slowly.
- Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Exercise 8 - Pull-Ups
This is one of the favorite exercises for most gym-goers because this exercise activates your lats, biceps, and full upper body. You can do this exercise in many different variations, such as narrow grip, shoulder-width grip, and wide grip for targeting different parts of your back muscles.
For advanced pull-up exercises, you can add some weight to your legs, but this is only recommended for experienced individuals.
- Grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from your (overhand grip).
- Hang your body and feel the tension in your arms.
- Now, pull your body up until your chin is above the bar. If you’re a beginner, pull up your body to where you can.
- Hold on to the position for 2 to 5 seconds and slowly come back to the starting position.
- Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions.
Exercise 9 - Dumbbell Pullovers
A dumbbell pullover is a powerful exercise that targets your lats, chest, and triceps. This exercise is usually done with the help of a bench, but you can also use a stability ball if you want to engage your core.
- Lie on a bench or stability ball with your upper back and shoulders supported, hips lower than shoulders, feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell that is not too heavy nor too light and extend your arms above your chest.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Pull the dumbbell back to the starting position using your lats.
- Do 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
How to Maintain Good Posture in the Office
Keeping your good posture throughout the day is as important as exercising your lats. You can do all types of lats workout at home, but if you don’t maintain good posture you’re prone to suffering back pain and bad body posture.
Here are some tips to help you keep your spine aligned and your back strong throughout the day.
Set Up Your Workspace
If you spend most of your working hours in front of the computer, then you’re the one who needs this advice the most. Choose a chair that supports your back. You should adjust the chair height so that your feet are flat on the ground and your knees are aligned with your hips.
Keep your computer screen at eye level and arm distance away from you. This will prevent you from hunching forward while working on your computer.
The next thing you can do is set a timer for every 60 minutes to remind yourself to assess and adjust your posture.
How Long Does it Take to Build Lats?
The time it takes to build stronger lats depends on person to person. Doing two weekly lats workouts at home, you can expect to see a difference in size and strength gains within six to eight weeks. However, you’ll likely notice mobility gains much sooner, and these mobility improvements help you perform advanced exercises.
Now that you know some of the best lats workouts at home, why not kick start your journey to building a stronger back and better posture today?
Remember, you are one step closer to your fitness goal with every step, no matter how small. So, don’t stop if the going gets harder. Just do one exercise the day you don’t feel like exercising! Something is better than nothing!
