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Lats (upper back)

1 min
 · 
6 exercises
Bent Over Barbell Rows
T-Bar Rows
Dumbbell Incline Bench Rows
Straight Arm Pulldowns
Turkish Get Ups
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
This Lats (upper back) 1 min-minute gym workout plan effectively targets your back, chest, legs and shoulders. Easily follow this workout with confidence on your phone or printable exercise program with our clear exercise demonstrations. You can also look up step-by-step instructions for each of the 6 exercises and see which muscle groups they target. Enjoy!

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Lats (upper back)
1 min
 · 
6 exercises
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Bent Over Barbell Rows
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
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321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Forearms, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Set up a barbell on the floor and stand facing it with your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Bend forward at your waist and grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your back straight and nearly parallel to the floor.
  4. Keep your head and neck straight. This is the start position.
  5. Without moving your torso, exhale and lift the barbell up towards you.
  6. Keep your elbows close in to your bodyand use your forearms to support the weight.
  7. At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and sqyeeze your back muscles.
  8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.

If you suffer from lower back problems, this exercise is not recommended. Always keep your back straight throughout this exercise. This exercise can be performed using an underhand grip to engage the triceps also.

Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
  2.  Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
  3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
  4. Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
  5. Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
  6. Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
  7. Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
  8. Hold for a count of one.
  9. Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
  10. Repeat.

Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.

Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
  2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
  2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
  3. Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
T-Bar Rows
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Forearms, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Set up an Olympic (long) barbell with weight plates on one end only.
  2. Put the other end of the bar against a wall or something heavy so it can’t slide backwards.
  3. Straddle the bar with your knees slightly bent.
  4. Bend forward at the waist until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
  5. Grip the bar close to the weight plates with both hands, using a neutral grip. One hand in front  the other. This is the start position.
  6. Keeping your back straight and exhaling, pull the bar straight up by bending your elbows until the plates touch your chest.
  7. Hold and squeeze your back muscles.
  8. Return to the start position in a slow smooth movement to place emphasis on your lats. Inhale as you do so.
  9. Keep the bar from touching the floor.
  10. pause then repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a cable station's low pulley or T-bar row machine. You can use a stirrup or double handle cable attachment to lift the weight by looping it under the end of the bar.

Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Forearms, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Set up a barbell on the floor and stand facing it with your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Bend forward at your waist and grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your back straight and nearly parallel to the floor.
  4. Keep your head and neck straight. This is the start position.
  5. Without moving your torso, exhale and lift the barbell up towards you.
  6. Keep your elbows close in to your bodyand use your forearms to support the weight.
  7. At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and sqyeeze your back muscles.
  8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.

If you suffer from lower back problems, this exercise is not recommended. Always keep your back straight throughout this exercise. This exercise can be performed using an underhand grip to engage the triceps also.

Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
  2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
  2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
  3. Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Dumbbell Incline Bench Rows
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders
  1. Lean forward into an incline bench
  2. Using a neutral grip, hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms are facing in.
  3. Your arms should be fully extended and hanging straight down. This is the start position.
  4. Pull your shoulder blades back and flex your elbows to pull the dumbbells up to your sides.
  5. Hold and squeeze your shoulder and back muscles.
  6. Return to the start position in a slow, controlled movement.
  7. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
  2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
  1. Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
  2.  Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
  3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
  4. Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
  5. Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
  6. Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
  7. Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
  8. Hold for a count of one.
  9. Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
  10. Repeat.

Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.

Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
  1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
  2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
  2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
  3. Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Straight Arm Pulldowns
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Lower Back
  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep the lower back straight and the core tight. Reach up and grab a pull-down bar with a wide grip.
  2. Keeping your arms straight with a very slight bend in the elbow, pull the bar down to your hips. Breathe out and flex your lats as you do so.
  3. Pause and slowly return to the top of the movement. Do not let the weight rest against the stack. Repeat the movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
  1. Lie on a flat bench, holding a barbell on your chest with an overhand grip. (Your hands should be shoulder width apart)
  2. Get into starting position, raising the bar above your chest by extending your arms, but do NOT lock your elbows.
  3. Keeping your arms slightly bent, slower lower the weight in a smooth arc to a position behind your head by rotating your shoulders. (as if putting your hands in the air)
  4. Keep moving the barbell behind your head until you feel a slight stretch in your chest. Hold for a count of one.
  5. Return to the start position in a smooth revers arc.
  6. Continue holding the weight above your chest, then repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
  1. Lie with your upper back perpendicular on a bench.
  2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor and flex your hips so that your body is in line.
  3. Grasp a dumbbell between your hands under the inner plate, palms facing up.
  4. Position the weight over your chest with your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Keep your elbows bent as you lower the dumbbell over your head until your upper arms are in line with your torso.
  6. To return to the starting position, pull the dumbbell up and over your chest.

Try to avoid raising your hips and maintain a small bend in your elbows throughout the movement.

Turkish Get Ups
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Middle Back / Lats, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Calves, Forearms, Lower Back, Obliques, Triceps
  1. From the fetal position, grab the kettlebell then roll on to back. Bring the right leg in while the left is extended. Press the kettlebell into the air with the right hand. Place the left hand on the ground.
  2. Come up on your left elbow. Then sit up while keeping the kettlebell in the air. Drive your hips into the air. Sweep leg into a kneeling position. Rotate back knee so that your body is in a lunge. Step forward and stand up straight.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
No sets / reps / duration specified
Sets/Reps not set
Get ready
321GO
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
  1. Set up a cable station with a straight bar attached to the top pulley.
  2. Sit on the seat facing the station. Keep your feet flat and planted firmly on the floor.
  3. Using an overhand grip, hold the bar as wide as comfortable. (Your hands should be about 1 1/2 – 2 times body width apart.)
  4. Lean back slightly without arching your back.
  5. Pull the bar towards the top of your chest using your shoulders while arcing your elbows out to the sides of your body.
  6. At the end of the movement squeeze you shoulders together slightly and hold for a count of one.
  7. Return to the start position by arcing your elbows forward while relaxing your shoulders.
  8. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders
  1. Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
  2. Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
  3. Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
  4. Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
  5.  Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
  6. Repeat.

By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.

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