You are looking for training your lats with the best way? then scroll down for best dumbbell lat workouts!
The latissimus dorsi muscle is the first thing you notice when you meet a weightlifter, CrossFit athlete, or anyone who goes to the gym to build muscle, and this muscle has a big role in the aesthetics of the body and makes you look athletic along with the chest muscles and other muscles .
Lats muscle training is an important and essential thing due to its multiple functions as it has a role in the movement of the chest and arm.
You must train your lats muscle constantly because it will help you build the muscles of the back area and make them more powerful and reduce back pain, for this we have dedicated this post in order to know the best 10 exercises for lats muscle using dumbbells, the benefits of having a strong back muscle and the mistakes that may you make during training your lats.
Let’s continue together!
What are Lats and where are they located?
The latissimus dorsi muscle occupies a large proportion of the back area so that it takes the shape of the wings and extends from the bottom of the back shoulder muscles across the lateral circumference of the dorsal to the lower back, and its function is to control the upper extremity, and research is still seeking to determine the role that the muscle plays in its effect on the movement of the stump , and along the spine and bending the sides or rotation.
It is also considered a respiratory muscle, but a secondary. (source)
Why should you train your lats?
It is good to have a strong lats muscle, especially if you are a fan of weightlifting or high-intensity CrossFit exercises, for example, because it allows you to deal well with weights and helps the chest muscles during chest exercises and hand muscles as well, and it also has other functions such as protecting your column vertebral and internal lateral organs.
What happens when lats are weak?
Excessive focus on training the muscles of the front of the body more than the back leads to imbalance, and this may pose a danger to your back muscles and may result in injuries and so on.
Also from the disadvantages of the weak lats, it hinders the movement of the hand and the stump during bending, so that if your lats muscle is short, it may be difficult for you to raise your hands in front of you or to one of the sides.(source)
Are dumbbells effective in targeting lats?
Dumbbells can replace the barbell in almost all exercises, and training your lats with dumbbells is a better option, because it is somewhat safe and does not force you to carry heavy weights from the beginning. It may be a good choice for beginners to train their lats safely and get good results.
Best 10 Dumbbell workouts for lats
Here are the top 10 latissimus dorsi exercises with how to do them and the advice of a professional. You will also find a training program. These exercises can also be done at home or the gym. It is enough to have dumbbells and you will be ready.
1- One Arm Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell row with one arm, it is one of the most popular exercises for training the lats because it targets the broad latissimus muscle well and makes it more strong and solid. It not only targets the lats, but also targets several other muscles in the back.
How to do it correctly:
- First, choose a dumbbell with a weight appropriate for your fitness level.
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, and place your other hand on a stable object for some balance.
- Put your left leg forward, put your other foot back, as if you were doing a lunge.
- Keep your back straight and pushed forward as if you are bending down.
- Pull the dumbbells towards the lats muscle and let your hand go back down until it becomes straight and repeat.
Pro tip:
Do not bend your back, keep it straight throughout the exercise, go with your shoulder down and pull with your elbows and the lats muscle, pull until your elbow goes behind your back, remember to pull to the lats muscle, do not go with your elbows far.
Keep your chest pushed forward and squeeze the lats muscles well.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Teres Major
- Posterior Deltoid
- Teres Minor
- Infraspinatus
- Traps
2- Chest Supported Dumbbell Row
Chest supported dumbbell row is one of the exercises that provides a comprehensive exercise for the back area and helps you build a strong back, reduce back injuries and build muscle endurance.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with weights that suit your fitness level and are easy to work with.
- Place the front body section on a reclining chair, your chest and abdomen should be straight on a reclining chair.
- Hold dumbbells with your hands.
- Pull both hands toward the sides of your waist.
- Push your hands down well, press on your chest and pull your elbows to the waist at a 90-degree angle.
Pro tip:
Pull both hands at once, pull until the elbows go back a little, and keep your upper section as straight as possible, also press the lats throughout the exercise so that you keep it working until the end of the exercise.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Teres Major
- Posterior Deltoid
- Teres Minor
- Infraspinatus
- Traps
3- Dumbbell Pullover
Dumbbell Pullover is an exercise that is more challenging for the lats, chest and side muscles of the shoulder. This exercise puts the lats under pressure throughout the exercise and is also effective in building the target muscles and making them endurance more.
How to do correctly:
- First, choose a dumbbell with a weight that you can handle, because this movement may cause you injury if you choose the wrong weight.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands, and prepare your body on the bench.
- Place the upper section of the back above the bench.
- Bend your knees and put your feet on the ground. (For more clarity, your body should look like a table)
- Lift your hands, holding the dumbbells straight, and slowly throw them behind your head as if you are going to put them on the floor.
- Repeat in the same way until your hands are straight up over your chest.
Pro tip:
If you are a beginner, I advise you to choose a lightweight so as not to overburden your elbows or shoulders, and stop when you feel that you need to, always use your feet, press them when lifting the dumbbells to the top and press on your lats constantly and try not to let the middle of your body fall down.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Teres Major
- Pectoralis Major
4- Bent Over Two Arm Dumbbell Row
Bent over two arm dumbbell row is one of the exercises that no athlete can ignore while training their lats muscles. It targets the desired muscle and exhausts it well, and this is what makes it effective in building muscle strength and making it more endurable and solid.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Stand and bend your knees slightly forward.
- Push your back slightly and straight, keeping your chest pushed forward.
- Push your hips back well.
- Begin by pulling the dumbbells toward the sides of your waist.
Pro tip:
Never bend your back, keep your knees slightly bent and your chest pushed forward, also do not go with your elbows far, keep your focus on the lats muscles and press them throughout the exercise.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Teres Major
- Posterior Deltoid
- Teres Minor
- Infraspinatus
5- Dumbbell Renegade Row
It may seem like a push-up exercise, but it is one of the best exercises that targets the lats muscles as well. It puts pressure on the lats well and puts them under great pressure throughout the exercise, and it is a good exercise that you can rely on to build strong lats.
How to do it correctly:
- Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor, about shoulder width apart.
- It’s like you’re doing a pushup.
- Keeping your body completely straight, place your hands on the dumbbells.
- Pull the right hand straight toward the lats, keeping the other hand straight.
Pro tip:
Keep your body completely straight, pull your elbow well back while pulling the dumbbells and keep your focus on the lats muscle, also do not go with your elbow too far.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Rhomboids
- Obliques
6- Horizontal Lat Pull
Believe me, it is one of the best exercises that will help you build body strength, especially the upper section because it is not only limited to strengthening the lats muscles, it is good and targets the muscles of the back strongly and works to strengthen them well and helps build muscle endurance.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a light weight or any weight that you can control easily.
- Lie on your stomach and stretch well.
- Hold the dumbbells with your hands and push your hands straight and well in front of your head. (Like Superman movement)
- Lift your chest and head slightly, and pull the dumbbells to the top of your chest.
Pro tip:
Pull up on your chest. Also, don’t raise your chest excessively when pulling and keep squeezing your lats.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Rhomboids
- Traps
- Biceps
7- Seal Row
It is an exercise that focuses 100% on the lats muscle, which means that it is also among the exercises that you can rely on in order to get strong and solid lats.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose a weight that fits your fitness level and that you can handle.
- Lie on your stomach straight above the bench.
- Hold the dumbbells with your hands, and tighten your fists on them well.
- Squeeze the lats muscles and pull the dumbbells up in the direction of the lats.
Pro tip:
Keep your body extended above the bench, do not raise your head or any part, also try to raise the dumbbells well to whatever extent you can reach, and keep the lats muscles engaged throughout the exercise and try to focus on them well.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Traps
- Rear Deltoids
8- Pendlay Row
The Pendlay row is like the bent over row, but the pendlay is a little different, which makes it do the same role as the bent over row. However, the pendlay row allows some rest for the muscles, but it is better to do it at a slightly higher speed in order to benefit from it well and will help build the durability of your lats and make it more solid as well.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight you can handle without problems.
- Stand and spread your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and keep them facing forward.
- Bend your back straight until it is almost parallel to the ground.
- Pick up the dumbbells from the floor and walk them directly to the side of the chest and lats muscles.
- Put the dumbbells on the floor each time you perform a full pull and return your hands to the starting position.
Pro tip:
Keep your back straight and your chest pushed forward, also when pulling the dumbbells, pull it well until your elbows are behind and put pressure on the lats throughout the exercise.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Rhomboids
- Rear Deltoids
- Biceps
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
9- Reach Reverse Fly
If you want to build the muscles and strength of the muscles of the upper body, there is no doubt that reach reverse fly will be one of the exercises that you will want to include, it is effective in targeting the muscles of the back and shoulders completely, it is like a compound exercise so that it can target several muscles at once.
How to do it correctly:
- First, choose a dumbbell with a weight that you can handle well.
- Stand straight, keep your feet at shoulders width apart.
- Bend your back slightly and straight until it is almost parallel to the ground.
- Push your hips back well.
- Pull your hands apart until they are almost straight with your shoulders.
Pro tip:
Firm the dumbbells well, keep your back straight throughout the exercise, keep your chest pushed forward and keep your focus on your lats and back muscles.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Rhomboids
- Rear Deltoids
- Posterior Delts
- Traps
10- Elevated Plank Row
The elevated plank row is a more challenging exercise for the whole body, and targets the lats as the main muscles so that it works to strengthen and stress it throughout the exercise, improving its endurance and stretching it well.
How to do it correctly:
- First, choose a dumbbell with a weight that you can handle well.
- It’s like you’re doing an incline push-up.
- Put one of your elbows on the bench and hold a dumbbell with your other hand.
- Keep your feet flat on the ground and keep them straight with your back and head.
- Pull the dumbbells directly to the side of your waist and push your elbow behind your back.
Pro tip:
Do not pull your elbow too far, keep it inside throughout the exercise, focus on the lats muscle from the beginning to the end of the exercise and continue to press it well.
Training Program:
- Reps: 10 – 12
- Sets: Beginner 3 / Advanced 4 – 5
- Rest: 20 seconds between sets
- How many times a week: 2 – 3
Muscle Worked:
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Obliques
What are the benefits of having strong lats?
Having strong lats muscles allows you to get many benefits, including stabilizing the neck, shoulder, back and hips, because the latissimus dorsi muscles are large enough to have a connection with many muscles, so having strong lats muscles is an easy way to strengthen the muscles The other side and its consistency together in terms of strength and achieving stability and balance of the body.
Benefits of strong lattes:
- Reduce back pain.
- Protect the spine from injuries.
- Improve arm movement.
- Protection of the lateral internal organs.
- Your appearance with a harmonious and attractive body.
- Improve your ability to carry weights.
What are the common mistakes people make during workout for lats?
If you have previously trained the lats muscles constantly, but you do not notice any results or do not make progress, this is clear evidence that you are making some mistakes that may prevent you from making progress or obtaining satisfactory results, so there are some mistakes that may You want to avoid:
- Go with heavy weights from the beginning, stick to light weights and gradually increase them until the muscle gets used to it.
- Mistakes in performing the movement, this will not only help you to strengthen the muscle, but may be a cause of injury, so you must learn the basics of movement without weights with a special trainer, and then start carrying very light weights in the beginning until you are professional in doing them.
- Not pulling the elbow well, also during some pulling exercises that require you to pull the elbow well because this increases the pressure of the muscle and exhausts it more and does not allow it to rest.
- Ignoring the lower body, yes we train the lats, but the lower body must be included in some exercises because this makes you benefit from the movement completely, and do not throw the weight of the whole exercise on it.
- Doing a lot. Excessive stress on the lats is not helpful, so you should wait at least 48 hours before training the lats again.
Smartly train your lats
Commit to training the lats muscles along with the other muscles constantly, try not to strain the muscle from the beginning, allow it to recover well.
If you are a beginner, I advise you to start with a private trainer in order to receive some instructions that you must work with in order to train the lats muscles. The trainer can also protect you from some injuries that can easily occur with you while training on your own.
If you do not have prior experience with carrying weights, I advise you first to start building this experience and accustom your hands to carrying weights and improve your grip strength because you will need it.
Useful links
These links may be useful to you if you are a fan of building fitness and strength or gaining muscle at home, these links contain the most powerful CrossFit exercises that you can rely on mainly.
If you are a fan of bodyweight workouts, you can rely on these workouts at home, believe me, you may not need anyone to build strong fitness only at home.
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