Latissimus Dorsi

The Latissimus Dorsi exercise targets the large muscles of the back, promoting flexibility and strength.

Follow these steps to perform the exercise:

  1. Start by lying on a stability ball with your torso supported.
  2. Extend your arms overhead, reaching for a stretch in your lats.
  3. Hold the position for a few seconds, feeling the stretch.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat.

How to perform the Latissimus Dorsi

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Latissimus Dorsi using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Latissimus Dorsi

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