Unlock your LATS
Introducing one of the powerhouses behind your upper body strength – the lattissimus dorsi, also known as your lats. These V-shaped muscles connect your arms to the vertebral column, playing a pivotal role in protecting and stabilizing your spine. Beyond their structural significance, the lats contribute to the strength and mobility of your shoulders and back.
Why your lats
Matter
Unlocking the full potential of your lats isn’t just about performing exercises that strengthen your back. In fact, mobility & flexibility of your back through exercises that release your lats helps increase your shoulder range of motion, improves your posture, as well as serves as a safeguard against potential injuries.
Now, what exactly can result in your lats being shortened?
1.
Postpartum:
MAMAS
As your postural tendencies tend to change because of hormones and gait changes after pregnancy, we tend to round our shoulders, which can place stress on the low back & lats.
2.
Pregnant
MAMAS
As the back of the pelvis pulls upwards as you grow a babe, the lats are shortened because they are pulling the pelvis up, so mobility of both the lats & hip flexors would benefit these ladies. Also, our backs, especially during pregnancy, are always in extension (think anterior pelvic tilt, sticking their bellies out to show off that baby bump!).
3.
Those with poor
Posture
THOSE WITH ROUNDED SHOULDERS: Especially if you have a desk job and are often hunched over the computer, tight lats can cause even more rounding of your shoulders and stretching them can lead to chest being more open and better posture overall.
Try These
Exercises
Try these different exercises to help release your lats:
Alternating banded
Pull Downs
Exhale as you pull the band down to your side, sending your hips towards the opposite side opening up your side body, and then inhale as you return back to center, alternating sides each rep!
Cross static
Lat Stretch
Crossing one foot in front of the other, take that same side’s wrist with your opposite arm and pull towards the opposite side. Draw your top shoulder back and bottom shoulder forward to really activate and lengthen those lats and obliques!
malasana
Twists
Sitting in a deep squat, drop one arm down and the opposite arm up, driving the bottom arm into your thigh as you twist open before alternating and switching sides. You can also sit on a block or elevated surface to help if you can’t get into this deep squat!
Side body
Arm Circles
Driving your elbow into the extended leg’s thigh, inhale as you draw your bottom shoulder forward, and exhale as you draw your top shoulder back, getting a good stretch in your lats and obliques!
QL/Lat
Roll outs
Keeping the roller at your low back, lean to one side as you take deep inhale and exhales to release tension from your low back. Then repeat on the other side!
Kneeling
Supported Side Bends
Inhale as you drop the bottom shoulder forward, and exhale as you drop the top shoulder back, really getting into those lats and obliques!
Supported
Hip Shifts
Stepping on foot onto of an elevated surface, keep that leg straight as you bent your opposite knee. Shift all your weight into your straight leg on the elevated surface, taking your hand to that hip. Inhale as you lengthen, and exhale as you gaze towards your back hip lengthening your lat and glute!
Want to learn more?
