The latissimus dorsi is often referred to simply as “wings.” Indeed, if well developed, they resemble the wings of birds. To learn how to pump the broadest muscles of the back, you need to figure out what kind of work they do and what kind of load will be optimal for their rapid development. Only an understanding of what exactly you are doing will allow you to perform exercises with maximum efficiency.
How the latissimus dorsi muscles work
The latissimus dorsi muscles are responsible for all types of pulls and pull-ups. They play a large role in sports such as rowing, gymnastics and martial arts. Moreover, these muscles themselves are not used, because their use requires the help of the hands.
Therefore, a secondary, but mandatory role in the operation of the “wings” is performed by the biceps and forearms. If the flexion of these muscles is not isolated, then most often they are used in combination with the “wings”.
After we figured out the mechanism of work of this muscle group, we can proceed to the question: how to pump up the broadest muscles of the back. Indeed, for their good study will require considerable effort.
The most common exercise for wings
As for most major muscle groups, there are quite a lot of the most diverse exercises for pumping "wings". But the best of them at all times was considered the usual pull-ups on the horizontal bar. However, in the modern version, such exercises for the broadest muscles can be replaced by pulling the blocks down on a weight trainer.
If you choose a horizontal bar, then you need to grab it with your hands at a distance of 1.5-2 shoulder widths and start pulling up. Moreover, the body should be constantly smooth, you can not help yourself with the help of jumps or bends. For example, during general physical training in the army, instructors sometimes put a leaf on the soldier’s shoes. When performing the exercise, he should not fall.
Top-down traction on the simulator is similar to pulling up, but not the mass of your body, but the weight of the blocks themselves are used to create tension in the muscles. At the same time, the body should also remain motionless, for which clamps in the knees are used.
Other exercises for the “wings”
Having figured out how to pump the latissimus dorsi muscles in the most common way, you can move on to other equally effective exercises. One of them is the tilt rod.
If you have mastered the basic exercises, then work with weights in the slope should not greatly burden the lower back. This is very important, because for high-quality pumping you will have to use quite a lot of weight.
Put your feet shoulder width apart and bend them slightly at the knees. Lean over and take the barbell. At the same time, the back should remain flat all the time in order to avoid spinal injuries. Raise the barbell to your chest, pushing your elbows as far back as possible. Then lower it and do the required number of repetitions. The same exercise can be done on a power simulator, where instead of a bar, a counterweight of blocks will be used.
Now it's time to learn how to pump the latissimus dorsi using a pullover. To do this, grab a dumbbell of moderate weight and lie on the shoulder blades across the bench so that the head hangs on one side and the lower back and legs are on the other. Bend well, lift the dumbbell with both hands over your chest, and bend your elbows at about 15 degrees.
Slowly lower them as low as possible behind your head. In this case, do not change the angle of the elbow bend. Reaching the peak, slowly lift them back. Exercise works well not only the back, but also the upper muscles of the chest, as well as triceps. In addition, the use of additional weights will allow a good pumping of the back side of the deltoid muscles.
We examined the basic exercises for the back, which are used in the gym. But if you do not want to go to the gym and want to understand how to build the latissimus dorsi at home, then this is not so difficult. Just install a horizontal bar in the courtyard or in the interior door frame, and pull yourself several tens of times daily. This will help to strengthen the back no worse than a health training on simulators.