Use Your BICEPS to Train Your LATS

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Pulling movements use the back, but they also use the biceps. Moving the elbow down or behind you uses the lats; flexing the elbow uses the biceps.

Pulling movements have both actions happening simultaneously and so you have no choice but to use both muscle groups.

However, there are two suggestions to help isolate the back muscles:

First, NEVER work the biceps before working the back. A good rule of thumb is to always work the biggest muscle groups first. If you fatigue the biceps first, they will not allow you to use much resistance while working the back because they are also involved in pulling movements.

Train back, then biceps, and preferably on the same day.

Second, ALWAYS focus on using the lats in pulling movements.

This can be accomplished by squeezing the shoulder blades together during the first part of the movement and focusing on pulling with the elbows (not the hands).

Your hands should just be "going along for the ride." Pinch the shoulder blades and then pull the elbows back. Visualize your hands as hooks, dragging the weight.

Examples of exercises in which you can use this principle are: Nautilus Compound Row, Hammer Strength Row, Hammer Strength Pulldown, Chin-ups, Seated Row, Lat Pulldown, etc. (bascially any type of pulling motion).

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90 lb Lopsided CHEST LIFT

Symmetrical Strength




I received a great question a couple of days ago regarding symmetry of strength. More specifically, if one arm is weaker than the other, should you do more sets or reps for that body part? While there are certain situations when training different sides of your body differently is definitely justified (baseball pitchers, stroke rehab, etc.), for most individuals, the body has a way of evening itself out.

When you first start a formal exercise program, your dominant-side is typically your strongest. This stands to reason, right? It's more coordinated and more often used... a most powerful combination. Think about it. Which hand do you throw with? The coordinated one. Which arm do you arm wrestle with? The strong one.

It also stands to reason that this stronger dominant side is also a little more muscular... or sometimes even a lot. Just look at the forearms any professional tennis player. The ball toss doesn't command as much adaptation as the serve, does it?

You body adjusts to the demands you place upon it. Use it or lose it, right?

So... you begin working out on a formal strength training program. What happens?

Well, if you use dumbbells and isolateral machines (with independent movement arms - or "legs," depending on the exercise), you are forcing your body to train symmetrically, perhaps not at first... but over time.

If you use 15 lb dumbbells, one in each hand, for a given exercise, it will feel relatively light in your dominant hand. But not for long. To perform the same exercise with the same weight, your weaker, non-dominant arm will have to work harder initially. It's less coordinated and has less efficient firing of motor units, which are responsible for the brain telling the body what to do.

Because of this, your non-dominant side, in quick time, will actually tend to become slightly bigger and stronger than your dominant side. But the lopsidedness of the size and strength of your two arms when trained will be much less noticeable than the asymmetrical weakness between your two "untrained" limbs.

The point? You usually don't have to do anything special to bring your smaller, weaker side up to snuff. At least it's one less thing to worry about. Just let nature take its course and be a little patient. I think you'll soon be pleasantly surprised just how fast you can catch up to your "better half."

As always... please direct any and all questions to:

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Workout@TheBestWayToExercise.com


In Health & With Thanks,

Doug :-)