We curated the ultimate lat workout to get a V-taper back, so get excited.
The most important thing in the V-taper look is developing your latissimus dorsi.
These muscles are responsible for shoulder adduction and extension.
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You don’t need a ton of different exercises to grow your lats.
The following are our top four lat-muscle-building exercises for an impressive V-taper back.
Wide-Grip Pull-ups
Wide-grip pull-ups are the classic lat-building exercise.
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From muscle beach to your local park, you could see people building their lats through wide-grip pull-ups.
Hang onto the bar, fully extending your arms and feeling a stretch in your rear-armpit area.
Engage your core, and initiate the pull-up by pulling your shoulder blades down and back.
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Pull yourself up until your chest hits the bar.
Keep your elbows out to the side, and drive them “downwards” to really activate your lats.
Lower yourself back down to the starting position, fully extending your arms until you feel the stretch again.
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Repeat for the target repetitions.
Bent-Over Barbell Rows
Bent-over barbell rows allow you to hit your lats with some serious weight.
Focus on the “squeeze” in your armpit area and shoulder blades to double-check you activate your lats.
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Avoid shrugging or rounding your shoulders during the movement.
Lower the barbell toward the ground, keeping it close to your shins.
Pull the barbell toward your sternum by retracting your shoulder blades and bending your elbows.
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Lower the barbell back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
Repeat for the target repetitions.
Lat pulldowns allow you to isolate the lats, teres major, posterior deltoids, and biceps.
Grasp the bar with a wide overhand grip, hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
Pull the bar down to your upper chest, keeping your elbows out to the sides.
Slowly return the bar to the starting position, allowing your arms to fully extend.
Repeat for the target repetitions.
Again, to really blast the lats, use an overhand grip.
Grasp the handle with an overhand grip, keeping your arms extended and shoulders down.
Repeat for the target repetitions.
Straight-Arm Lat Pulldowns
This workout for a V-taper back wraps up with the straight-arm lat pulldown.
Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement with the bar near your thighs.
Slowly return the bar to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement and keeping your arms extended.
Repeat for the target repetitions.
