You may feel like you have ILS (Imaginary Lat syndrome) after this workout! Do you know what I am talking about? Imagine in a global gym the guy that walks around with his arms out to the side and away from his body because his “lats” are too big…. Or he thinks they are too big. You know what I am talking about.
I feel that the Latissimus dorsi (AKA – lats) is one of the most under used muscles. I am sure you have heard the coaches talk about lats, lats, lats….. but maybe you are unsure what they are talking about. Take a look at the photo above to see where they are located. Did you know that the latissimus dorsi is part of your core? So when we ask you to activate or keep your core tight, the lats are included. You hear us say core tight pretty much all the time right? Have you been engaging your lats in all your movements? If not, please ask your coach to show you how to.
In this workout today, you are doing two movements which require lat activation. In the deadlift, the lats are working in an isometric contraction to help stabilize your back and shoulders during the lift. In the pullup, the lats are working to pull yourself up towards the bar.
How do I activate my lats? Here are some cues to think about:
- Bend the bar apart – during all lifts
- In a standing position, arms at the side, try to reach the floor without bending your knees
- Put your shoulder blades into your back pocket
- Make some orange juice – think about squeezing oranges in your armpits (Thanks Tyler)
Here is a video from Jason Kalipa teaching the deadlift, you might pick up a few cues to help you…
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47CqV5XWtEg’]
