Lats Exercises That Can Help Improve Your Posture

lats-exercises-that-can-help-improve-your-posture

Lats Exercises That Can Help Improve Your Posture

Are you looking to improve your posture?

There are many different exercises and techniques to help you get good posture, and your lats are one of the most critical areas to focus on.

Your latissimus dorsi, or lats, are a large muscle group that extends from your sacrum in the lower back all the way up to your shoulders. They’re responsible for a lot of the movement in your upper body, so they’re so important for posture.

Upper limb injuries are often associated with lats due to their connection with the shoulders. Weakness in your lats can cause issues with the rotator cuffs and lower back pain due to the connection with the lower back and sacrum.

Sitting for extended periods of time, especially in a poor posture with your shoulders rolled forwards, causes the lats to become weak and inhibited. When this happens, connected muscles such as the trapezius (traps), jaw and hip flexors will take over and lead to common posture issues like neck pain, back pain and tight pectoral muscles.

As a chiropractor, I have found that lats are often overlooked when addressing posture issues and shoulder pain. To help you improve your lats and posture strength, here are two great exercises you can try.

Wall Angel

The wall angel exercise is a great way to activate your lats and can be done at home or at the gym.

Standing with your back to the wall, raise your arms above your head on a Y angle, then slide your arms down the wall in a W position. Squeeze your lats to get a good activation. Repeat this exercise 5 times.

You should feel like you can easily maintain a good posture after doing this exercise.

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Lat Pullover

Next up is the lat pullover. For this exercise, you’re going to need some equipment — a dumbbell and a bench. This exercise is great for activating your lats and works well if you’re looking for another lat exercise other than lat pulldowns.

Start by lying down on a bench, holding a low to medium weighted dumbbell or barbell in both hands. Extend the weight over your head and the edge of the bench, then pull the weight back into an upright position. Perform this exercise 10-15 times.

Lat pullovers can either be done as a warm-up in your workout to get better lat engagement prior to working out or as a heavier exercise during your workout.

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Get Started Improving Your Posture

Have a go at introducing these exercises into your routine. With practice, you should build strength in your lats and help the key areas that cause shoulder pain and lower back pain.

If you have any questions or would enjoy a thorough assessment to see how we can improve your posture, feel free to get in touch with us!

Dynamic Chiropractic is based in Brisbane City and focuses on helping patients with posture and spinal related injuries. We provide a range of chiropractic treatments, including spinal adjustments, exercises and stretches that strengthen muscles, release tension and improve wellbeing. We also educate patients on strategies to incorporate healthy habits into their lives.

Our passion is to help patients to get back to feeling their best and achieving their goals.

Check out our health tips blog for more advice or book a consultation with our chiropractors today!

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