Lat Exercises

Anatomy and joint mechanics of the latissimus dorsi

The latissimus dorsi forms a sweeping triangular fan that anchors into the spinous processes of T7–L5, the thoracolumbar fascia, the posterior iliac crest, and the inferior three to four ribs. Its convergent muscle fibers wrap around the lower trunk to insert into the intertubercular groove of the humerus. Because the lats bridge the shoulder girdle directly to the lumbar spine and pelvis, they serve as master stabilizers and prime movers across multiple planes of motion:

The plane of pull: frontal adduction vs sagittal extension

The secret to targeted back development lies in understanding the difference between wide frontal pulls and narrow sagittal pulls:

• Frontal plane adduction (elbows flared out): In a wide-grip lat pulldown or wide-grip pull-up, the upper arm travels through the frontal plane. This path maximally engages the upper lat fibers and teres major, creating the dramatic lateral flare associated with the classic bodybuilding V-taper. [1]
• Sagittal plane extension (elbows tucked in): In a close-grip pull, neutral-grip chin-up, or straight-arm pulldown, the humerus drives backward parallel to the torso. This sagittal trajectory aligns with the lower, iliac fibers of the latissimus dorsi, building dense lower-back width that inserts cleanly into the waistline. [3]
• The overhead stretch advantage: Recent research by Maeo et al. and Kassiano et al. confirms that training muscles at long muscle lengths elicits potent stretch-mediated hypertrophy. Allowing the arms to reach full overhead extension under controlled resistance creates superior mechanical tension across the entire lat fan compared to shortened contractions. [4]

Complete lat workout: gym and home routines

This comprehensive protocol absorbs our dedicated lat workout programming (WK-0067) into a unified training blueprint. By balancing frontal-plane vertical pulls with sagittal-plane rows and deep stretch pullovers, it delivers complete back width and thickness without joint strain.

Home 10-minute lat workout alternative (dumbbells & bodyweight)

If you train at home without overhead cable pulldowns or a high ceiling bar, you can achieve remarkable lat recruitment using gravity, doorframes, and dumbbells:

Weekly volume and training frequency recommendations

According to the ACSM Position Stand on resistance training, optimal hypertrophic adaptation for major muscle groups like the lats requires 10 to 20 direct weekly sets for trained individuals. [6] Because the lats recover efficiently due to extensive vascular supply, splitting your weekly volume across 2 to 3 sessions per week (such as on Pull days or Upper Body sessions) elicits significantly greater muscle protein synthesis and back width than a single marathon back day.

Lat exercises in the gym: cables, machines, and pulldowns

Commercial gym environments offer specialized equipment engineered to maintain constant mechanical tension across the lats' extensive range of motion:

• Dual-pulley cable pulldown: Using two independent high pulleys rather than a rigid fixed bar allows the hands to converge naturally as they descend. This freedom of movement matches human shoulder biomechanics, reducing wrist and elbow strain while increasing lower lat fiber recruitment. [1]
• Plate-loaded iso-lateral lat machine: Machines engineered with converging or diverging levers replicate natural joint arcs while eliminating balance demands, enabling lifters to safely train within 1 rep of failure.
• Cable straight-arm pulldown: The premier isolation tool for teaching mind-muscle connection. Because the elbows stay fixed, the biceps cannot hijack the movement, forcing the lats and teres major to generate 100% of the pulling force.
• Chest-supported T-bar row (wide grip): Supporting the sternum on an angled pad removes spinal disc shearing forces, allowing heavy horizontal pulling that thickens the upper lat origins and mid-back musculature.

Lat exercises at home: bodyweight, doors, and minimal kit

Building wider lats without gym access is one of the most common fitness challenges. While pushing exercises (like push-ups) are easy at home, vertical pulling requires creative manipulation of gravity and household friction:

• Doorframe rows: Stand facing a sturdy doorway, grip the moulding with your fingers at chest height, position your feet near the base of the frame, and lean back into an incline. Pull your chest toward the door by driving your elbows backward and downward.
• Bed-sheet door anchor rows: Tie a heavy knot in a bed sheet and throw it over the top of a door, closing the door firmly so the knot is trapped on the outside. Grip the sheet fabric, lean back at a 45° angle, and perform inverted bodyweight rows.
• Towel isometric lat pulls: Loop a bath towel around a fixed pole or under your feet while seated. Pull with maximum muscular effort for 10 to 15 seconds per repetition, triggering high motor unit recruitment through maximal isometric contraction.
• Sliding floor lat pull-downs: Lie prone (face-down) on a smooth hardwood or tiled floor wearing socks or placing a towel under your torso. Extend your arms forward, press your palms firmly into the floor, and pull your entire body forward along the floor using pure lat contraction.

Lat exercises with dumbbells: unilateral rows and pullovers

Dumbbells provide an exceptionally versatile free-weight implement for progressive lat overload without requiring overhead cable stacks:

• The dumbbell pullover on a bench: By lying perpendicular across a flat bench with your upper back supported and hips dropped slightly, you create an extended lever arm that places the lats under intense passive stretch at the bottom of the arc. Keep a soft 10° elbow bend and pull with your back, not your triceps.
• Lat-biased single-arm dumbbell row: Standard dumbbell rows often recruit more upper back and rhomboids if the elbow flares out. To bias the lats, maintain an overhand or neutral grip and sweep the dumbbell back toward your hip pocket in an arc rather than rowing vertically. Stop pulling when your upper arm is parallel to your torso to prevent anterior shoulder humeral glide. [3]
• Chest-supported dumbbell incline row: Lying prone on a 30° incline bench prevents body English and momentum, delivering pure muscular tension directly into the latissimus dorsi and lower traps.

Lat exercises on the cable machine: continuous resistance arcs

Cable stations provide an unmatched mechanical advantage over free weights: constant resistance throughout the entire range of motion. While a dumbbell pullover loses tension at the top of the movement, cables maintain unrelenting load from deep stretch to peak contraction:

• Half-kneeling one-arm cable pulldown: Kneeling on one knee aligns the pelvis and prevents spinal twisting. Setting the high pulley at a 45° angle directly mirrors the anatomical fiber direction of the latissimus dorsi, allowing you to achieve a deeper overhead stretch and tighter distal contraction than a standard barbell pull.
• Standing cable pullover / straight-arm pulldown: Using a wide lat bar or rope attachment, step back from the cable stack, hinge at the hips by 20°, and sweep the arms down to touch the thighs. Squeeze the lats at the bottom for a full 1-second pause.
• Seated cable row (neutral close grip): Driving the elbows back close to the ribs while maintaining a proud chest targets the lower lat fibers and builds foundational pulling strength for pull-ups.

Lat exercises for women: posture, waist taper, and pull-up mastery

Lat training provides profound postural, aesthetic, and functional benefits for female athletes:

• The visual hourglass taper: Developing the lateral sweep of the upper back creates a balanced visual contrast that makes the waistline appear naturally narrower and tighter, producing an athletic silhouette without bulky neck development.
• Counteracting rounded shoulder posture: Modern daily life—prolonged desk work, computer typing, and mobile phone usage—induces forward head posture and internally rotated shoulders. Strengthening the lats and lower traps restores proper scapular depression and upright postural alignment.
• Path to the first unassisted pull-up: Achieving a strict bodyweight pull-up is an empowering strength milestone. Female lifters should build foundational strength using assisted pull-ups with bands or counterbalanced machines, slow 5-second eccentric negatives, and heavy neutral-grip lat pulldowns.

Lat exercises with resistance bands: accommodating resistance and mobility

Elastic resistance bands offer unique accommodating resistance: tension increases as the band stretches, delivering peak resistance right where the muscle reaches peak contraction:

• Overhead door-anchored band pulldown: Anchor a heavy looped resistance band over a door. Kneel on the floor, grip the band handles with arms outstretched overhead, and pull down toward your upper chest, focusing on driving the elbows toward your back pockets.
• Band-assisted pull-ups: Loop a heavy resistance band over a pull-up bar and place your foot or knee into the loop. The band provides maximum assistance at the very bottom where you are weakest, allowing you to practice full-range vertical pulls with proper form.
• Kneeling band straight-arm pushdowns: Anchor a band high, step back to create tension, and sweep your arms down to your hips with straight elbows, creating a burning pump in the lower lat bellies without iron weights.

Best lat exercises for growth, mass, and V-taper width

If your back development has hit a plateau, apply these evidence-based hypertrophy landmarks:

• Prioritize the overhead stretch: Kassiano et al. (2023) and Maeo et al. (2023) demonstrated that loaded lengthening triggers stretch-mediated hypertrophy. Never cut the top range of motion short on pulldowns or pull-ups; allow the shoulder blades to elevate and feel the deep stretch across your lats before initiating the next rep. [4]
• Master the 2-step pull cue: Initiate every vertical pull by actively pulling your shoulder blades down (scapular depression) before bending your elbows. This ensures the latissimus dorsi takes the load rather than the biceps or upper traps. [5]
• Avoid excessive elbow flare: Flaring elbows 90° out to the sides shifts work away from the lats onto the rear deltoids and rhomboids. Keep your elbows angled between 30° and 45° in front of your body for optimal lat mechanical alignment.
• Use lifting straps for working sets: Grip fatigue frequently limits back training. Research shows that forearm flexors fatigue long before the massive lats reach true failure. Utilizing lifting straps on your heaviest pulldown and pull-up sets allows you to push the lats to genuine muscular failure without your grip slipping.

Common lat training mistakes to avoid

Correct these widespread technical flaws to protect your shoulder joints and maximize back growth:

• Pulling behind the neck: Performing behind-neck lat pulldowns forces the humerus into extreme horizontal abduction and external rotation while rounding the cervical spine forward. Clinical biomechanical trials confirm this increases rotator cuff impingement risk with zero EMG advantage over pulling safely to the clavicle. [2]
• Turning pulls into bicep curls: Yanking the bar down with bent wrists and pulling through the hands over-taxes the elbow flexors. Think of your hands as passive hooks; focus entirely on driving your elbows toward your hips.
• Excessive backward swinging (momentum): Leaning back 45° and violently swinging your torso turns a vertical pulldown into a sloppy horizontal row, unloading the lats and loading the lumbar spine with momentum. Keep your torso stable with no more than a 10° to 15° slight incline.
• Cutting the top stretch: Stopping your arms at forehead height denies the muscle its most hypertrophic phase. Always allow your arms to reach full overhead extension under strict control.
• Shrugging shoulders into ears: If your shoulders rise up toward your ears at the bottom of the pull, your upper traps and levator scapulae are dominating. Keep your chest proud and drive your shoulder blades down and back.

Which lat exercise should you choose? Head-to-head comparisons

Examine the biomechanical trade-offs between classic vertical pulling movements:

• lat pulldown vs pull up: Comparing relative bodyweight calisthenics against scalable cable machine loading, muscle fiber recruitment, and progression pathways.
• muscle up vs pull up: Differences between pure vertical lat pulling and explosive calisthenic transition onto straight-bar dips.
• assisted pull up vs lat pulldown: How counterbalanced bodyweight mechanics differ from open-chain cable stacks for beginners building pull-up capacity.
• barbell pullover vs dumbbell pullover: Analysis of wrist mobility, chest expansion, and eccentric lat stretch profiles between free-weight implements.

Alternative exercises and substitutions

If you experience shoulder impingement, elbow discomfort, or lack specific gym apparatus, consult our comprehensive substitution directories:

• pull up alternative: 12 biomechanically sound substitutions for the bodyweight pull-up using lat pulldowns, inverted rows, resistance bands, and cables.
• dumbbell pullover alternative: Practical variations including cable straight-arm pulldowns, barbell pullovers, and stability ball sweeps.
• lat pulldown alternative: Home and gym alternatives when a lat pulldown machine is unavailable or occupied.
• straight arm pulldown alternative: Dumbbell pullovers, resistance band pushdowns, and kneeling cable pulls that isolate shoulder extension without bicep fatigue.

Explore lat exercises by equipment

Explore specialized lat exercise directories categorized by your available training implement:

• cable machine lats exercises: 73 cable pulldowns, straight-arm pushdowns, and unilateral kneeling pulls providing constant resistance.
• pull-up bar lats exercises: 53 bodyweight pull-ups, chin-ups, archer pulls, and calisthenic variations for relative upper-body strength.
• barbell lats exercises: 6 barbell pullovers, barbell rows, and free-weight pulling movements for heavy overload.

Frequently asked questions about lat exercises

Complete lat exercise directory (232 exercises)

Browse every exercise in our library that targets the latissimus dorsi, categorized by equipment and training implement:

Cable Stations (73 exercises)

• Alternating Hammer Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Alternating Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Alternating Underhand Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Arm Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Behind Neck Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Bar Kneeling Lat Prayer: How to Do It ()
• Cable Bent Over Bar Pullover: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Cable Bentover Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Decline Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Front Lat Pulldown Close Grip: How to Do It ()
• Cable Front Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Grip Lat Pulldown Narrow Grip: How to Do It ()
• Cable Incline Pulldown Supine: How to Do It ()
• Cable Incline Pushdown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Kneeling Alternating Straight Arm Pull: How to Do It ()
• Cable Kneeling Straight Arm Pull: How to Do It ()
• Cable Lat Prayer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Lat Pulldown Wide Grip: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Cable Parallel Close Grip Chin Up: How to Do It ()
• Cable Parallel Grip Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Parallel Grip Pulldown: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Cable Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Cable Pullover Supine: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Rear Pulldown Wide Grip: How to Do It ()
• Cable Rope Kneeling Lat Prayer: How to Do It ()
• Cable Rope Lat Prayer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Rope Pullover Supine: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Rope Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Simultaneous Alternating Standing Pulldown ()
• Cable Single Arm Lat Prayer: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Standing Bilateral Straight Arm Pull: How to Do It ()
• Cable Straight Arm Pull: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Cable Underhand Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Close Grip Cable Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Close Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Close Grip Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Close Mag Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Fixed Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Hammer Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Kneeling Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lat Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Lying Cable Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lying Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Mag Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Narrow Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Neutral Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• One Arm Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• One Arm Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Overhand Close Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Pull Up Rope Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pulldown Narrow Overhand Grip: How to Do It ()
• Pulldown Narrow Underhand Grip: How to Do It ()
• Pulldown Neutral Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pulldown Rope Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pulldown Shoulder Width Overhand Grip: How to Do It ()
• Pulldown Shoulder Width Underhand Grip: How to Do It ()
• Pulldown Wide Overhand Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pulldown Wide Underhand Grip: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Rope Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Seated Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Single Arm Hammer Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Single Arm Underhand Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Sliding Floor Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Standing Straight Arm Pushdown: How to Do It ()
• Straight Arm Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Underhand Cable Lat Pulldown: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Underhand Close Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Underhand Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• V Bar Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Wide Grip Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Wide Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()

Pull-Up Bar & Calisthenics Stations (53 exercises)

• Archer Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Assisted Archer Pull Up Band: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Assisted Close Grip Chin Up Kneeling: How to Do It ()
• Assisted Neutral Grip Pull Up: How to Do It ()
• Assisted Parallel Grip Pull Up Band: How to Do It ()
• Assisted Wide Grip Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Back Lever: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Band Assisted Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Assisted Hammer Pull Up: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Band Assisted Pull Up From Foot: How to Do It ()
• Band Assisted Pull Up From Knee: How to Do It ()
• Bench Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Butterfly Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Chair Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Clap Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Climber Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Close Grip Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Close Grip Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Double Pause Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Eccentric Only Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Front Lever Raise: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Front Lever Row Bent Knee: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Front Lever Row Flat Tuck: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Front Lever Row Rounded Tuck: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Front Lever Row Straddle: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Front Lever Row: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Front Lever: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Gironda Sternum Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Hammer Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Jumping Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Kipping Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Muscle Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Narrow Grip Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Neutral Grip Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• One Arm Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Pull Up Hammer Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pull Up L Style: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Pull Up Narrow Overhand Grip: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Pull Up One Arm Supported: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pull Up Wide Overhand Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pull Up on Angled Bar: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Rear Pull Up Wide Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Rocky Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Single Pause Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Slow Eccentric Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• V Bar Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Weighted Close Grip Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Weighted Hammer Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Weighted Pull Up Hang: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Weighted Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Weighted Underhand Chin Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Wide Grip Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()

Gym Machines & Pulldown Towers (31 exercises)

• Assisted Hammer Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Assisted Pull Up Open Kneeling: How to Do It ()
• Assisted Pull Up Open: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Assisted Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Assisted Underhand Chin Up Self: How to Do It ()
• Hammer Strength Mts Iso Lateral Front Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso Front Lat Pulldown ()
• Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso Lateral Wide Pulldown ()
• Lever Close Grip Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lever Front Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lever Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Lever Pullover: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Lever Underhand Pulldown H: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Machine Assisted Narrow Pull Up: How to Do It ()
• Machine Assisted Pull Up Hammer Grip: How to Do It ()
• Machine Lat Pulldown Reverse Grip: How to Do It ()
• Machine One Arm Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Machine Plate Loaded Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Machine Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Machine Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Machine Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Machine Reverse Lat Pulldown Close Grip: How to Do It ()
• Neutral Grip Wide Pulldown Rear Machine: How to Do It ()
• One Arm Hammer Strength Mts Iso Lateral Front Pulldown ()
• One Arm Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso Front Lat Pulldown ()
• One Arm Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Iso Lateral Wide Pulldown ()
• One Arm Wide Pulldown Machine: How to Do It ()
• Over Grip Wide Pulldown Rear Machine: How to Do It ()
• Pullover Machine Back Target: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Pullover Machine Chest Target: How to Do It ()
• Vertical Traction: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()

Bodyweight & Calisthenics (22 exercises)

• 90 Lat Stretch: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Arms Only Rope Climb: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Assisted Chin Up Partner: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Assisted Underhand Chin Up Partner: How to Do It ()
• Bodyweight Assisted Mixed Grip Pull Up: How to Do It ()
• Bodyweight Assisted Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Bodyweight Kipping Hand Stand Push Up: How to Do It ()
• Bodyweight Pull Up Kip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Bodyweight Underhand Chin Up: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Bosu Ball Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Kneeling Lat Stretch W Bench: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Kneeling Lat Stretch: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lat and Lateral Line Stretch Unilateral Standing ()
• Lat and Shoulder External Rotation Stretch 1 Kneeling Dowel ()
• Lat and Shoulder External Rotation Stretch 2 Kneeling Dowel ()
• Lat and Shoulder External Rotation Stretch 3 Kneeling Dowel ()
• Lats Stretch Variation One: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lats Stretch Variation Three: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Lats Stretch Variation Two: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• One Arm Lat Stretch: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Rack Lat Stretch: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Rope Climb: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()

Resistance Bands (12 exercises)

• Assisted Muscle Up Band: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Half Kneeling Single Arm Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Band Hammer Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Kneeling Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Kneeling Single Arm Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Band Lat Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Pullover: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Band Seated Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Seated Single Arm Pulldown: How to Do It ()
• Band Single Arm Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Band Straight Arm Pulldown: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Single Arm Band Lat Pulldown: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()

Suspension Trainer (TRX) (10 exercises)

• Pull Up on Rings L Style Wide Grip: How to Do It ()
• Pull Up on Rings L Style: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Pull Up on Rings Wide Grip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Ring Muscle Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Ring Pull Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Suspended Muscle Up Kip: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Suspended Muscle Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Suspended Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Suspended Self Assisted Pull Up: How to Do It ()
• TRX Assisted Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()

Dumbbells (8 exercises)

• Dumbbell One Arm Pullover Stability Ball: How to Do It ()
• Dumbbell Pullover Eccentrics: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Dumbbell Pullover Stability Ball: How to Do It ()
• Dumbbell Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Dumbbell Single Arm Pullover: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Dumbbell Weighted Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lower Lat Dumbbell: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lying Pullover: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()

Barbell & Free Weights (6 exercises)

• Barbell Decline Pullover Wide Grip: How to Do It ()
• Barbell Decline Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Barbell Front Raise Pullover: Form, Muscles Worked, Mistakes ()
• Barbell Pullover and Press: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Barbell Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Bent Arm Barbell Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()

Foam Roller & Myofascial Release (4 exercises)

• Foam Roll Latissimus Dorsi: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Lat Foam Roll: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Lat Mobilisation Floor Foam Roller: How to Do It ()
• Lat Roller: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()

Stability Ball (4 exercises)

• Grip Ball Pull Up: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Stability Ball Lat Stretch Side Lying: How to Do It ()
• Stability Ball Lat Stretch: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Static Latissimus Dorsi Ball Stretch: How to Do It ()

Kettlebells (3 exercises)

• 3 Month Position Kettlebell Pullover: How to Do It ()
• Kettlebell Pullover: How to Do It and Muscles Worked ()
• Kettlebell Single Arm Pullover: How to Do It ()

Medicine Ball (3 exercises)

• Overhead Medicine Ball Figure 8 Slam: How to Do It ()
• Standing Overhead Medicine Ball Slam: How to Do It ()
• Standing Overhead Medicine Ball Throw: How to Do It ()

Other Equipment (3 exercises)

• EZ Bar Pullover: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Variations ()
• Smith Machine Assisted Pull Up: How to Do It ()
• Stability Ball Weight Plate Pullover: How to Do It ()

Sources

1. Andersen, V., et al. (2014). Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(4), 1135–1142. PMID: 24662157.
2. Signorile, J. F., et al. (2002). A comparative electromyographical investigation of muscle utilization during the lat pull-down with different hand positions. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(4), 539–546. PMID: 12423187.
3. Lehman, G. J., et al. (2004). Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An electromyographical study. Dynamic Medicine, 3(1), 4. PMID: 15249870.
4. Maeo, S., et al. (2023). Greater muscle hypertrophy after resistance training performed at longer vs. shorter muscle lengths. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 55(4), 696–705. PMID: 37015467.
5. Park, S. Y., et al. (2017). Electromyographic analysis of upper trapezius and latissimus dorsi during pull-up variations. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 29(5), 874–877. PMID: 28531188.
6. Currier, B. S., et al. (2026). Resistance training prescription for healthy adults: ACSM position stand. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. PMID: 41843416.
7. ExRx.net. (2026). Latissimus Dorsi & Teres Major Kinesiology Directory.

Written with AI assistance by Fitness Instructor AI Editorial Team. Verified by internal editorial and certified strength review. Updated November 4, 2026. Editorial Policy.