How to get a WIDER Back FAST (4 Science-Based Tips)

Like many other gym-goers, one of the main things I wanted to achieve when I first started lifting was a wider back. A wider back helps build out your V-taper and creates the illusion of a smaller waist. But how do you develop a wider back fast? If you’re seeking to do this, then the main muscle that you’re going to want to develop are the lats, as growing this muscle will help effectively add the width to your back that you’re after.

But, unfortunately, doing so often isn’t as simple as just hammering away at the lat pulldown machine. Because adding a decent amount of width to your back requires more than just performing all of the right exercises. In this video, I’ll be explaining a range of training strategies you can use to build a bigger and thicker back.
Activate The Lats Properly: First, you need to ensure that you’re able to maximally activate and utilize your lats in the first place. This is because for most lifters, one of the more difficult muscles to activate and actually feel working when training tends to be the lats, which often leads to other muscle groups like the biceps and traps to take over and essentially steals gains from the lats during back training. This is detrimental since we know based on a recently published 2018 study that establishing a strong mind-muscle connection with your muscles when training them seems to boost growth.
Target the Upper And Lower Lats: Next, you need to ensure that you’re emphasizing both the upper and lower lats within your training. If you want to maximize your back width, then it’s vital that you target both the upper and lower regions of the lats appropriately during your training which most people unknowingly fail to do.
Exercises that involve more shoulder adduction where the angle of pull is more in line with the upper lat fibers will more effectively hit the upper region, such as wide grip pull-ups or wide grip pulldowns. The lower region of the lats run more parallel to the body and are basically straight up and down. Therefore, exercises such as close grip pulldowns, chin-ups, and close grip rows will more effectively hit this region.

Make Your Rowing More Lats-Focused: Next, we want to tweak your rowing exercises to focus more on the lats. Now when most people think of lat exercises, they mainly think of pull-downs and pull-ups. But it’s important to realize that many rowing exercises when done properly are just as effective at building the lats. In fact, as shown in this EMG analysis from a 2018 study by the American Council of Exercise, we can see that many rowing movements elicit lat activation similar to that of pull-ups and lat pulldowns. Let’s take a look at the seated row for example.
If you perform it by angling the elbows out away from the sides more and focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together every rep, then you’ll be mainly emphasizing the traps and rhomboids. Whereas if you instead tuck the elbows in close to your sides, pull slightly lower, and think about pulling your elbows down and back then you’ll be able to emphasize the lats much more since you’re putting it in a more mechanically advantageous position.
Engage The Lats During Deadlifts: Lastly, you’ll want to ensure you’re properly using your lats during the deadlift. So to do this, before you lift, pull the bar into your shins and think about essentially performing a straight arm pulldown with the bar in order to engage the lats. You should now feel your lat muscles activated and turned on as a result of this.

To join today, simply head on over and take the starting point analysis quiz to discover the best program for you:

STUDIES:

MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION

LAT ACTIVATION DURING LAT PULL-DOWN

BEST BACK EXERCISE REVIEW

[JeremyEthier]

Hope you all enjoyed this video - now go put it into action and grow those wings!! Also, do me a favour and comment below what other topics you’d like to see :)

[ahmedbenhariz]

he protecc
He attacc
But most importantly
He teach us how to train bacc

[dariusneatu]

Always here with the good content.Jeremy Ethier Jeff Cavaliere and Jeff Nippard are the 3 J's everyone needs

[mahdi]

1: Pull with the elbows, think of your hands as hooks (lat pulldown)
2: use thumb less grip(lat pulldown)
3: Ephasis upper lats with wide grip pulldown
4: Emphasis lower lats with chins ups
5: Make rowing exercises lat focused ( seated row )

[livjunkie]

This is so true, when i first started workin out i couldnt activate the back area correctly and end up workin on my traps more. Since i focus more on the mind muscles connection, my back width is growin like crazy. Focusing on the eccentric movement helps big time.

[joshuabyrne]

Lat activation drill was INCREDIBLY effective!

[kabralarmah]

1:40 Lat warmup
2:59 focusing in lats during pull ups/downs

[fuzzyone]

I can't believe just thinking to pull with the elbow makes such a difference in lat activation, thanks a lot.

[shockedlink]

You’re the man. Been lifting for 7 years and every pointer you give is something I’ve learned anecdotally every now and then off beasts I’ve been lucky to train with over the years but would have forgotten different cues over time. Just discovered your page and wish it was around when I started. Keep up the great work brother!

[dnaka]

4 Tips:
1:02 Activate LATs
3:42 Target Lower & Upper LATs
5:15 LAT Focused Rows
6:35 Engage LATs in Dead Lifts

[engineergingineer]

Damn, I did the stretch you demonstrated and my lats were on fire after I worked out my back. Thanks... The quality of my workout is now better than before when I'm not stretching the lats.

[leodecandia]

THE IMPROVEMENTS I'M GETTING WITH YOUR VIDEOS ARE INSANE!

[abhaykumar]

One of the finest fitness channel on YouTube.
Love from India.

[deviant]

That sound effect is like the one when you can take off/put on your seat-belt when you are in a plane

[nikbinaz]

Thank you for these amazing videos, they've really helped me to progress in the gym and to build a decent physique, something I thought I'll never achieve. And to top it all off, these videos are FREE! This is what makes people like you and Jeff Cavalier to stand out from the rest. Keep up the good work! love and support from Afghanistan.

[dandachdandash]

You are the only one who explains exercises well. Watching a channel benefits a lot. I want to thank you

[saarimshaikh]

I'm glad that i watched this video at my back day and noticed pressure at lats for first time ❤️🔥

[spacelama]

That lat cramp was forreal!
Thank you Jeremy for all the quality content you put out.

[dantealighieri]

Bro, You’re like the only one on YT, who has a proper technique!!! On all of the vids Everything You do is slow and controlled! No ego lifting! Perfect!

[Justin-xdzj]

When he said the biceps and trap steal gains from the back I felt that.