Are the Lats That Important?

      As a coach, I’ve experienced that the better you learn a specific topic, the more simplified you learn how to explain it. This has led me to become weary of anyone who tries to overcomplicate a subject matter when explaining. I think my disconnect is that many people confuse memorization for understanding a concept. I blame that on the way most of us were taught in school. We learned to memorize what would be on the test. I know I fell into that trap. When providing cues while coaching, I try to keep it as simple as possible. “Sniff air”, “Squeeze your glutes”, “Shoulders in your back pocket”, to mention a few. I find myself always referencing three things- glutes, core, and lats. Yes, the lats, or latissimus dorsi, are important. I will briefly share with you, why.

     Let me review some quick anatomy. The lats are located on the back and cover a vast area.

Related to how we move, we use them when we pull (vertically or horizontally) and they act as a stabilizer when we push. To give you two simple examples- they are the primary muscle used when performing either pull-ups or row variations. On the opposite side, we use them as a stabilizer when we do a push-up. Did you know we also use them when we squat and lunge?

     Your body possesses these links, or trains, that dictate movement. These became popularized by manual therapist, Dr. Thomas Meyers, in his book Anatomy Trains. One of these trains is the functional line.

It is the connection between the hamstrings, glutes, and lats that allow you to efficiently squat and lunge. One of the things I try to teach people are tactics on how to engage the lats during squats to prevent lower back injuries. If you don’t effectively use your lats in a loaded squat, you leave the lower back susceptible to injury. A simple technique we use when someone is performing a goblet squat with a kettlebell is to have them imagine that they are bending the handle as they perform the squat. This works well because the person isn’t focusing on using the lat, they are trying to perform the task of bending the handle. Lat activation becomes the by-product.

     The lats are one of the primary muscles used in hip hinge exercise. An example of a hip hinge is the deadlift. It’s the proper firing of the lats that allow you to pick up more weight. In power lifting competitions, the winner is determined by combining the total number of pounds lifted in three exercises. The deadlift, squat, and bench press. Power lifting coaches will reference not using the lats in a deadlift as a power leak. This is where I can show you how the old adage “bend your knees and use your legs when picking something heavy off the ground” is wrong. You want to use those lats! When you properly engage the lats, you synch up and create more tension throughout the entire chain. I could argue that in a full body workout you will use the lats in every exercise.

Squats Yes

Lunges Yes

Hip Hinges Yes

Pulling exercises Yes

Pushing exercise Yes

Bracing or core exercises Yes

I can guess what you’re thinking, “What about curls, Doug?” Guess which muscle keeps your upper arm at your side from rotating forward during the curl… your lats.

     I will just have to become more comfortable repeating myself, “Glutes, core, lats”. I’ll see you at the studio.