{"id":154576,"date":"2023-03-10T02:33:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T09:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/?p=154576"},"modified":"2023-03-13T00:26:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T07:26:04","slug":"15-ways-to-strengthen-and-stretch-your-lats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/articles\/15-ways-to-strengthen-and-stretch-your-lats\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Ways To Strengthen And Stretch Your Lats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this article, we will examine the anatomy and functions of the latissimus dorsi (lats) and the best ways to strengthen and stretch them. The goal is to give you a better understanding of why stretching the lats<\/strong> is beneficial to your performance and overall health. And hopefully you can incorporate some of the techniques in this article into your exercise program. After all, the goal is for your lats to feel and perform their best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Your Lat Muscles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you familiar with the signature v-tapered back? Well, strong lats provide you with that look, but they aren\u2019t just there for superficial reasons. Strong lats help support good posture, spinal stability, and shoulder strength. Lats are triangularly-shaped muscles that cover the majority of the lower thorax. As the largest upper-body muscle, the lats are integral to spinal and shoulder movements. They work with the teres major and pectoral major to carry out most upper-body actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lat Anatomy And Function<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any activity that involves repetitive upper back movement<\/a> likely involves the lats. They originate at the sinuous processes and supraspinous ligament of the bottom six thoracic vertebrae, and the inferior end of the fibers that connect to your bottom three or four ribs. Muscle fibers extend from the origin points to the insertion point, which is the floor of the intertubercular groove of the humerus. All of these origin points meet in a narrow insertion area that forms the fan-like shape of the lats. The lats work to perform most major upper-body actions, from pull-ups and rows to simple twists and shoulder movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Causes Tight Lats?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tight lats are fairly common among athletic and sedentary types. Exercising, daily activities, rounded shoulders, and poor posture can cause lats to tighten. Many activities, including cycling, swimming, gardening, surfing, and rock climbing, can contribute to upper back tension. A back workout that involves a lot of lat exercises is a primary cause of lat tightness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Know If Your Lats Are Tight<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is very common for lats to feel tight and you can identify tightness via a few signature signs. Poor posture, rounded shoulders, nagging upper back or neck aches<\/a>, and pain that radiates between the shoulder blades are signs that you need to stretch your lats. You can also tell if your lats are tight by doing a squat with your arms extended overhead. You can also do the lat tightness mobility test, which is detailed below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lat Tightness Mobility Test<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In order to perform this test, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n