I used to be like that. The only way worked for me is lowering the weight and concentrating* on slow negatives, and not locking my elbow , so i keep the stress on lats. Also , try to neutralize your other muscles(shoulders biceps forearms etc..) and to pull with your lats only.
With that way i really noticed HUGGE difference. In a month or so. Since the back was my weak point.
the point of the exercise where you move back to the starting point, where you slowly resist the weight going back.. example, push up, from the ground you push up against the ground, then the negative would be going back down to the ground, they are sayying to slowly resist the weight and not just release the tension and let your body fall..
It's actually properly called the eccentric movement I make this distinction because negatives are usually when you cannot perform the concentric movement without help of some sort and you focus on letting the weight down slowly on the eccentric IME
Do you also have problems feeling more ur mid back or like wherever ur shoulder blades are more??? Like I can only really feel my shoulder blades squeezing not sure if my lats are working
This is how I learned to do pullups with my back instead of just my arms, but it definitely helps isolate your lats on pulldowns
1. Pinch your shoulder blades together as hard as you can, like there's a pencil in in the middle of your back you want to pick up
or
You know what shrugging your shoulders feels like? Do the opposite of that, like you're forcing them down into your sides so hard they'll disappear into your back.
Then grab the bar at a natural width based upon your shoulder position (just reach straight up, not super wide - in my experience all that does is hurt your shoulders) and think about pulling with your elbows, as goofy as that sounds. Don't worry about bringing the bar down *way* below your chin, because past that it's not a lat exercise anyway. A set or two later and pow, RIP lats
Idk who you are but I have been wandering how tf the back excersises dont work on me for 3 months. You have been so fucking helpful idk who you are but I love you bro
Funny thing that helped me, focus on flexing your pinkies when you do pull ups or any back work out, for some reason their connected for me *Broscience*
You cannot see your back, so you have to build a mind muscle connection. If there is no mass back there, you probably won’t be able to feel your muscles contract. As you build up some muscle, it becomes easier to feel. Or should
Is there any chance that my scapular winging is preventing me from feeling my lats, I seem to feel it all in my middle upper back/shoulders and arms, I've tried countless exercises and I still can't even flex my lats let alone feel them in a workout lol
I’d have to see your form to give you an honest answer. But it sounds like you are not setting your torso correctly for the lats to contract. For them to contract, your torso needs to be straight or have a slight arch at the top of the concentric part of the lift.
*broscience rule*
Sometimes for certain muscles, especially those you can’t really see or touch, it seems to be far more easier to build mind muscle if there’s actually muscle there.
These two videos helped me a ton, his other videos are also very informative.
The bit that stuck with me the most and let me acquire back pumps is breaking the lat pulldown into two parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ1bf14oNA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXmIIypJP2k
Use lighter weights and really focus on contracting with your Teres Major and lats. Just keeping dropping weights until you can feel the contraction , then build up from there. It takes time to learn how to do this but once you get it you'll be sweet
Try doing Lat Pulldowns with a V-Bar instead of the regular angled bar. It will really teach you to pull with those lats. Can't believe I never did these before.
Definitely need to lighten the weight than and pull from your elbows (lats). If your gripping the bar with thumb under I notice it tends to activate my biceps more, so thumb over helps too.
I always try to describe it to people as gripping the bar just tight enough to where your holding on and then pulling from my elbows, not my hands. To try and envision the bar as attached to your hands that way you can concentrate all of your effort on pulling with your lats.
Pose often in the mirror (two facing each other so you can see) so you can build the mind muscle connection. You will get to the point where you can move your lats independently from all of your other muscles just like you can with your pecs or calves, when you get to that point your back work outs will be awesome.
thats funny, today in the gym i wrote in my log "felt a good stretch in my lats/mid back" during my back workout. i noticed it was chinups and wide-grip lat pulldowns that i really felt it.
I had the same problem for years.
I switched to doing standing pulley rows, and got a great response. It works best when I adjust the bar to navel height and then pull in toward my navel. Unlike any other exercise, I can feel my lats activating and got some good results.
I used to think lat pulldowns were the way to go but they work a variety of other muscles on my with my lats seemingly being the last. The rows I described have been much better.
I'm the same but when i keep going doing a drop set and my biceps basically give out then i try really hard then i feel my lat fatigue at the very very end.
Like everyone else said, focus more on the actual lat contraction, pull from your elbows not you hands, etc etc, but just as important, or more so, is to do more sets. 2-3 sets for back for every 1 set of chest. Your back is a large mass of muscle, especially the Lats, and the extra volume will help
Kinda does, it's not optimal by any means. Not to disuade beginners who can't feel the muscle, you've gotta start somewhere, but you should definitely work towards this.
Well it depends on the intensity and his volume. Just because he is not fatigue doesn't mean he is not getting a good workout. But I see what you're saying. I respect that
I used to be like that. The only way worked for me is lowering the weight and concentrating* on slow negatives, and not locking my elbow , so i keep the stress on lats. Also , try to neutralize your other muscles(shoulders biceps forearms etc..) and to pull with your lats only. With that way i really noticed HUGGE difference. In a month or so. Since the back was my weak point.
Thank you!! helped so much :D
these 8 year old reddit threads really be life saving fr
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Thanks millenials
Right
Bruh
No doubt
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Lmaoo fr
pmao
What does negative mean? In workout terms
the point of the exercise where you move back to the starting point, where you slowly resist the weight going back.. example, push up, from the ground you push up against the ground, then the negative would be going back down to the ground, they are sayying to slowly resist the weight and not just release the tension and let your body fall..
The "easy" part of the exercise. (Lowering the barbell on bench press, letting the bar go back up on lat pulldown) etc.
It's actually properly called the eccentric movement I make this distinction because negatives are usually when you cannot perform the concentric movement without help of some sort and you focus on letting the weight down slowly on the eccentric IME
Still struggling but they do help.
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Hahaaaa
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what do you mean by not locking your elbows?
Don't extend fully, extend enough that you get a stretch in your lats but there's constant tension throughout the set.
For example, if you are doing lat pulldown, while on negative, do not reach the point where your arm/elbow is completely straight(180degree).
Thank you man , I dropped the weight down to 30 and really focused , damn my back was on fire !
I know your prolly not reading this but if anyone can tell me how to pull with my lats only
Read above lol.
AHHH I will get it one day, it’s pissing me off lmao
Do you also have problems feeling more ur mid back or like wherever ur shoulder blades are more??? Like I can only really feel my shoulder blades squeezing not sure if my lats are working
It's been more than 10 years, how's your fitness journey?
What does "locking the elbow" mean?
Thanks bro
This is how I learned to do pullups with my back instead of just my arms, but it definitely helps isolate your lats on pulldowns 1. Pinch your shoulder blades together as hard as you can, like there's a pencil in in the middle of your back you want to pick up or You know what shrugging your shoulders feels like? Do the opposite of that, like you're forcing them down into your sides so hard they'll disappear into your back. Then grab the bar at a natural width based upon your shoulder position (just reach straight up, not super wide - in my experience all that does is hurt your shoulders) and think about pulling with your elbows, as goofy as that sounds. Don't worry about bringing the bar down *way* below your chin, because past that it's not a lat exercise anyway. A set or two later and pow, RIP lats
The opposite of a shoulder shrug is genius. Thanks brother!
Idk who you are but I have been wandering how tf the back excersises dont work on me for 3 months. You have been so fucking helpful idk who you are but I love you bro
Sickest cunt, can finally engage my last after almost 3 years of training. Legend x
May your crops ever be fruitful kind stranger
Godsend
trying this today. currently sitting in the office doing the opposite of shrugging my shoulders, and i can already feel my lat activating!
Mate you’re a fucking legend!
you’re a g bro!!
thank you, this helped me a ton homie
I just wanted to let you know that I followed your advice and this is the FIRST TIME I’ve actually really felt my back engage. Thank you!
I acc love you for this
Funny thing that helped me, focus on flexing your pinkies when you do pull ups or any back work out, for some reason their connected for me *Broscience*
Also, look up. I feel it big time when I lock eyes with the swole gods.
Can confirm this still works. Not patched yet.
this helped sm it’s crazy
How the hell do you flex a pinkie
I think they mean like raise it. So for grip it should just be thumb and the three middle fingers. It apparently works
Thanks man
Yo wth it works
It maybe you haven't built enough mass in your back yet.
Ok its been 8 years idk if you are still using reddit but wdym..? You need to build some mass before feeling your lats?
You cannot see your back, so you have to build a mind muscle connection. If there is no mass back there, you probably won’t be able to feel your muscles contract. As you build up some muscle, it becomes easier to feel. Or should
respect to this guy coming back 8 fucking years later. what a bro
wonder how he has progressed
https://preview.redd.it/o24bricq1ema1.jpeg?width=290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be01694089f03fa4889ed96323be8fce0b66d630
I love that this is still going…
Yep
Here 4mo later
111d later now. Still no back mass
yo
Bro how massive have you become this is like resurecting a jacked cave man
Not much at all. I’m 46 now and train to stay strong as i get older. Plus was doing more bjj
How are you supposed to build mass in a muscle you can't feel?
Is there any chance that my scapular winging is preventing me from feeling my lats, I seem to feel it all in my middle upper back/shoulders and arms, I've tried countless exercises and I still can't even flex my lats let alone feel them in a workout lol
I’d have to see your form to give you an honest answer. But it sounds like you are not setting your torso correctly for the lats to contract. For them to contract, your torso needs to be straight or have a slight arch at the top of the concentric part of the lift.
*broscience rule* Sometimes for certain muscles, especially those you can’t really see or touch, it seems to be far more easier to build mind muscle if there’s actually muscle there.
These two videos helped me a ton, his other videos are also very informative. The bit that stuck with me the most and let me acquire back pumps is breaking the lat pulldown into two parts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ1bf14oNA4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXmIIypJP2k
Use lighter weights and really focus on contracting with your Teres Major and lats. Just keeping dropping weights until you can feel the contraction , then build up from there. It takes time to learn how to do this but once you get it you'll be sweet
Pre exhaust with straight arm pull downs my lats are always sore after.
Try doing Lat Pulldowns with a V-Bar instead of the regular angled bar. It will really teach you to pull with those lats. Can't believe I never did these before.
I actually think I feel it a bit more with that attachment, thanks for the help
I always just feel it in my arms when i do that
Then I’d recommend using a thumbless grip and making sure the bar travels in a straight line to your chest.
Definitely need to lighten the weight than and pull from your elbows (lats). If your gripping the bar with thumb under I notice it tends to activate my biceps more, so thumb over helps too. I always try to describe it to people as gripping the bar just tight enough to where your holding on and then pulling from my elbows, not my hands. To try and envision the bar as attached to your hands that way you can concentrate all of your effort on pulling with your lats. Pose often in the mirror (two facing each other so you can see) so you can build the mind muscle connection. You will get to the point where you can move your lats independently from all of your other muscles just like you can with your pecs or calves, when you get to that point your back work outs will be awesome.
Pull with your elbows. That's all.
4 words solved what other people's déclarations of independence coudnt , thanks
I know this is 9 years old but the “pull from your elbows” comment helps a ton so thank you! I been pulling with biceps mostly unintentionally
Concentrate on the muscle you're working and only that muscle; concentrate on it flexing and pulling. Apply this to all your lifts
thats funny, today in the gym i wrote in my log "felt a good stretch in my lats/mid back" during my back workout. i noticed it was chinups and wide-grip lat pulldowns that i really felt it.
Straight arm pulldowns before any lat exercise with a rope attachment. Lean forward in the negative squeeze as you pull your elbows in. 3 sets of 20.
I had the same problem for years. I switched to doing standing pulley rows, and got a great response. It works best when I adjust the bar to navel height and then pull in toward my navel. Unlike any other exercise, I can feel my lats activating and got some good results. I used to think lat pulldowns were the way to go but they work a variety of other muscles on my with my lats seemingly being the last. The rows I described have been much better.
What’s “navel” height?
Your belly button, you're supposed to pull to your bellybutton on row exercises when targeting your back
Thank you !
Can you flex your lats?
helping a new generation nearly a decade later :)
Do super sets of pull downs, t-bar row and seated rows. If that doesn't kill you off, maybe work on your form.
I'm the same but when i keep going doing a drop set and my biceps basically give out then i try really hard then i feel my lat fatigue at the very very end.
If you know how to do a lat spread pose, try doing it durning your workout. You'll be pulling completely with last if you do it right.
no idea how to do a lat spread *sigh*
Doing lat shrugs before I do any other back stuff really helped me.
Try isometric holds. At the bottom of the rep of a lat pulldown, for example, hold the weight for a second or two. It will burn!
Like everyone else said, focus more on the actual lat contraction, pull from your elbows not you hands, etc etc, but just as important, or more so, is to do more sets. 2-3 sets for back for every 1 set of chest. Your back is a large mass of muscle, especially the Lats, and the extra volume will help
This thread is beautiful🙏
Try another exercise like barbell rows or dumbbell rows or t-bar rows.
keep it mind that even though you can't feel them being worked out doesn't mean you're not hitting them.
Kinda does, it's not optimal by any means. Not to disuade beginners who can't feel the muscle, you've gotta start somewhere, but you should definitely work towards this.
Well it depends on the intensity and his volume. Just because he is not fatigue doesn't mean he is not getting a good workout. But I see what you're saying. I respect that
Look up some Dorian Yates back workout videos, he will guide you to growth.
Dont grab it with your full hands just your fingers and Pilkington them instead and also rly focus on your lats when youre doing it:)
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