Move
Why Strong Lats Are Key to a Strong Core and Balanced Body
“Squeeze the muscles right under your armpits.”
“Open your chest, drop your rib cage and engage your back.”
Do you recognize these cues from class? They’re all about helping you engage your lats, the unsung heros of the core. Your lats are gateways to other key muscles, and they’re major players in reducing tension and stress in the neck and shoulders.
Your Lats—and The Muscles They Work With—Defined
1. Lats – Officially called latissimi dorsi, your lats are two wing-shaped muscles that help you move your arms and support your posture and spine. They start at the top of your humerus, extend underneath your armpits, and wrap around toward your spine and down your back.
2. Serratus muscle – This is the muscle that supports the shoulder blade when you lift your arm up or push yourself off the ground (think Plank position).
3. Trapezius muscle – Your traps support shoulder-blade movement, and they’re broken up into three parts: upper, mid, and lower traps. Most people focus on the upper traps because that’s where tension and stress are trapped. The lower and mid traps are often neglected, so they tend to be weaker. The visual below shows your lats, serratus, and trapezius, and how all three are connected.
Why It’s Important to Strengthen Your Lats
In addition to supporting arm movement, your lats are an essential part of your entire core—and the core is the foundation of a balanced, aligned body. If your lat muscles are weak, other muscles will be forced to pick up the extra work and will eventually become overstressed, cramped, and inflamed. This results in tension in our necks and shoulders.
So What’s the Solution?
One of the easiest ways to turn on your lats is to engage the muscles underneath your armpits. Try finding the connection and firing your muscles before you move. For example, connect with your lats before you go down into a push-up, before you hold All Fours, and before you move your arms over your head or pull your elbows down and in during Combo Work. This will help you engage them so they can do their job properly.
You can also strengthen your lats by dropping your ribs. If your ribs are popping up and forward, your lats can’t do their job correctly, and other muscles will have to take over. Here’s a side-by-side visual showing popped ribs and properly positioned ribs.
Lats can be easy to neglect. They’re not the visual show-stoppers biceps or quads are, and they don’t get as much buzz as powerhouses like the core or glutes. But they’re a hugely important part of how our bodies function, so keeping them strong is key. Strong, stable lats make it possible for the rest of your core to function properly—and that’s the first step to having a strong, balanced body.
Ready to strengthen your lats, build better posture, and experience greater alignment in your body? Sign up for a 15-day free trial of barre3 online workouts or try a LIVESTREAM class today!
“Squeeze the muscles right under your armpits.”
“Open your chest, drop your rib cage and engage your back.”
Do you recognize these cues from class? They’re all about helping you engage your lats, the unsung heros of the core. Your lats are gateways to other key muscles, and they’re major players in reducing tension and stress in the neck and shoulders.
Your Lats—and The Muscles They Work With—Defined
1. Lats – Officially called latissimi dorsi, your lats are two wing-shaped muscles that help you move your arms and support your posture and spine. They start at the top of your humerus, extend underneath your armpits, and wrap around toward your spine and down your back.
2. Serratus muscle – This is the muscle that supports the shoulder blade when you lift your arm up or push yourself off the ground (think Plank position).
3. Trapezius muscle – Your traps support shoulder-blade movement, and they’re broken up into three parts: upper, mid, and lower traps. Most people focus on the upper traps because that’s where tension and stress are trapped. The lower and mid traps are often neglected, so they tend to be weaker. The visual below shows your lats, serratus, and trapezius, and how all three are connected.
Why It’s Important to Strengthen Your Lats
In addition to supporting arm movement, your lats are an essential part of your entire core—and the core is the foundation of a balanced, aligned body. If your lat muscles are weak, other muscles will be forced to pick up the extra work and will eventually become overstressed, cramped, and inflamed. This results in tension in our necks and shoulders.
So What’s the Solution?
One of the easiest ways to turn on your lats is to engage the muscles underneath your armpits. Try finding the connection and firing your muscles before you move. For example, connect with your lats before you go down into a push-up, before you hold All Fours, and before you move your arms over your head or pull your elbows down and in during Combo Work. This will help you engage them so they can do their job properly.
You can also strengthen your lats by dropping your ribs. If your ribs are popping up and forward, your lats can’t do their job correctly, and other muscles will have to take over. Here’s a side-by-side visual showing popped ribs and properly positioned ribs.
Lats can be easy to neglect. They’re not the visual show-stoppers biceps or quads are, and they don’t get as much buzz as powerhouses like the core or glutes. But they’re a hugely important part of how our bodies function, so keeping them strong is key. Strong, stable lats make it possible for the rest of your core to function properly—and that’s the first step to having a strong, balanced body.
Ready to strengthen your lats, build better posture, and experience greater alignment in your body? Sign up for a 15-day free trial of barre3 online workouts or try a LIVESTREAM class today!
