Back in action: for a better v-taper, hammer your lats the old-fashioned way- with a hearty dose of pull-ups

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2009 by Joe Wuebben

ONE-ARM SEATED CABLE ROW

TARGETS: Lower lats, rhomboids, middle traps

START: Sit upright at a cable row station with a D-handle attached. Reach one arm out in front of you and grasp the handle, keeping your torso erect.

EXECUTION: Contract your back muscles to pull the handle into your midsection, leading with your elbow. Hold the contraction for a count, then release your arm under control. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

COACH SPEAK: "Maintain an erect torso throughout the move to prevent the glutes and hamstrings from carrying the load," Staley says.

THE ROUTINE

Day 1 (Monday)

EXERCISE                   SETS/TIME       REPS

Pull-Up (warm-up)             2-3          1

Chin "Ladders" (1)          15 min.   1,2,3, etc.

Incline Dumbbell Row           4           6

Day 2 (Thursday)

EXERCISE                   SETS/TIME       REPS

Pull-Up (warm-up)             2-3           1

Alternating Pull-Up (2)     15 min.   3 at the time

One-Arm Seated Cable Row       2      12 (each arm)

Back Extension (weighted)      4            10

(1) Do one rep, rest, then two reps, rest, then three reps, rest, and
so on until you're 1-2 reps from failure. Repeat the sequence for 15
minutes. Rest periods between sets should last between 10 and 30
seconds, depending on how fatigued you are. When reps are low early on,
10 seconds may suffice; toward the end you may need 30 seconds or
more.
(2) In the span of 15 minutes, perform as many sets of three-reps-at-a-
time as you can, resting between sets as necessary. (Once to the left,
down, once to the right and down is one rep.) Rest periods should
increase as fatigue increases, similar to "ladders" in Day 1.

CHIN "LADDERS"

TARGET: Lower lats

START: Grasp a pull-up bar with an underhand (supinated), shoulder-width grip, and let your body hang with your arms fully extended.

EXECUTION: Contract your lats to pull your chin up to the bar. Slowly lower yourself to the start.

COACH SPEAK: "On any type of pull-up or chin, think of pulling your elbows to your ribcage instead of pulling yourself up to the bar," Staley says. "This will not only make the exercise seem easier but will also help activate the lats, which are bigger and stronger than the biceps."

TARGETS: Lower lats, rhomboids, middle traps

START: Sit backward on an incline bench holding a pair of dumbbells. Let your arms hang toward the floor, your palms facing in.

EXECUTION: Leading with your elbows, contract your back muscles to pull the weights straight up to your sides. Hold the contraction for a count at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the start.

COACH SPEAK: "Be aware of your torso position during rows," Staley says. "If you launch your upper body upward during heavy rows, you defeat the purpose of the exercise and rob your lats of growth-producing tension."

BY JOE WUEBBEN

Photos by PAVEL YTHJALL