Thursday, 12 April 2012

My Fair Lat

Those of you who know me, know that I have a fair 'thing' for the back.  I am not the average abs and pecs kind of girl, a man with a perfect v-taper is a man with a mission.

Another thing that is common knowledge is my slight obsession with the pull up, so a man with a master pull up is a man with a master v-taper.  Yum.

Not only is the pull up hardcore to perform but smashing out rep after rep is an honest feat of strength.  The pull up primarily targets the 'latissimus dorsi' which without a doubt is a power muscle of note.  This muscle hand in hand with the pull up is an obvious favourite of mine and gets little attention when much attention is due.

I am not going to go into full anatomical detail and explain its origin at the spinous processes of thoracic T7-L5 and send the meathead into overdrive, but what I am going to do is bring to light the awesomeness of this humble bundle of fibrous tissue and give it the credit that it is due.

The weekend warrior is so obsessed with their show muscles that they forget what gives the 'show' a 'go'.

Strong lats keep your hips, back and shoulders healthy, they effect the way you breath, the way you perform, adds to your endurance, to your speed, it has so many functions, you only need to learn how to use them.

The obvious exercise for strengthening your lats are your chins and your pull ups and what most people don't realize is that the lats are the powerful stabilizers of your spine and are hugely responsible for the ability to lift big.  The squat and the deadlift demand from this area like a nympho at an orgy.

The lats play a huge role in your important lifts, the benchpress, squats, deadlifts etc.  We are so busy staring at our reflections while we curl those dumbells for the umpteenth time, working on our massive biceps and smashing crunch after crunch after crunch aimlessly trying to develop a six pack and are forgetting about those muscles that make real men and real women.

Strong lats play an important role in your body, they dont just work for pull ups , they dont just hang around back there, they are one of the most influential muscles in your body and strengthening this muscle and learning how to activate it will enhance your every move, in lifting and in life.

Not only does a mean lat look gorgeous, not only does a lat of steel allow you to lift heavier than your opponent but its the muscle that surgeons turn to for cardiac support.  For the failing heart the lats are wrapped around the heart and by electostimulation this procedure improves the cardiac output.  That's a pretty hardcore job for a humble muscle.

I think its time we raise our protein shakes, and acknowledge the greatness of the fair lat.