May 2002

The question-of-the-month for May comes from Samit in Bombay, India  who wants to know how to develop the lower lats.  His question is:

Dear Mike:

I want to know what exercises are there to develop the lower lats.  

Dear Samit:

Thanks for your great question.  As I've said before, it's great to hear from people who live so far away.

The lower back (lats) is an area of the physique that is overlooked by many bodybuilders.  I'm sure many of you have seen competitors on stage that have well-developed upper backs, but are lacking in the lower section.  I've even seen it on the pro stage.  I worked very hard to make sure my back was fully developed.  There are three basic exercises I relied on, which I have listed below: 

1) Dead lifts
2) Hyper extensions
3) Good mornings

Incorporate these exercises into your workout program and you will definitely see results in the lower back area.

Another way to target the lats is to pull into your lower stomach area when performing your rowing exercises.  Usually when people perform their rowing exercises, they tend to pull to the upper stomach/lower chest area.  Incorporate both into your program.

Lastly, periodically use a reverse grip when performing your rowing exercises.  This will also target the lower back.  

Good luck, Samit.  Thanks again for your great question. 

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

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