30 Seconds SummaryThe Importance of the Lats in the Deadlift
- The lats play a crucial but often misunderstood role in the deadlift, primarily aiding in stabilizing the upper back and not as prime movers.
- Effective lat engagement in deadlifting helps decrease the extension demands on the hips and lumbar spine by about 3-5%, making the lift slightly easier.
- The role of the lats is not to actively extend the spine but to help position the scapulae and shoulder, reducing thoracic extension demands significantly.
- Proper lat engagement leads to better upper back tightness during deadlifts by reducing the spinal flexion moment, despite the lats not directly extending the thoracic spine.
- Techniques like 'putting your shoulder blades in your back pocket' and 'pulling the bar into your shins' help engage the lats effectively, also improving bar path efficiency.
- Training the lats with exercises like heavy rows can enhance their effectiveness in deadlifts, helping manage heavier loads by enabling better shoulder extension.
- A more linear bar path can be achieved through slight repositioning of body mass using lat engagement, though the direct impact on overall lift performance may be subtle.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
