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contracting deltoids / lats

2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2005/11/30, 01:59 PM I am having difficulty feeling the contraction of my front deltoids and lats (different exercise of course). When I exercise my chest and other areas, it is easy to feel a contraction. Does any one have any suggestions?
mikencharleston Posts: 1,585 Joined: 2002/01/09	2005/11/30, 03:01 PM Give us some idea what you're doing to hit the delts and lats now. Depending on what you're doing, for example with lats, I've sat and watched a whole lot of people give their arms one helluva workout when they're trying to work out their back but actually doing very little quality back work. -------------- Mike in Pensacola Now.
7707mutt Posts: 7,686 Joined: 2002/06/18	2005/11/30, 03:09 PM It has taken me years to be able to contract my lats at all. I think as Mike said above if in a bck workout you are not feeling it in the back you are using too much weight.
bropie Posts: 1,084 Joined: 2004/12/04	2005/11/30, 07:19 PM i would say look into your technique on your exercises. take a look at the exercise descriptions here, or from some other VERIFIABLE source (ie bodybuilding.com). make sure you are doing the exercises to a tee, and again like has already been reiterated, could be that you are using too much weight.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2005/11/30, 07:25 PM lats: wide grip machine pull downs close grip machine pull downs (just started) front delts: arnold dumbell presses (no longer due to back strain) front dumbell raises (feel contraction on these) military presses (free weights) machine presses It seems that I get some squeeze on the lats lately, but this seems to come in the last portion (from 4-5 inches from chest to chest). Hopefully I'm not imagining this. I also try to focus on not using arms, leverage or rapid swinging motion in the pulldowns. It seems like my lats are the least developed part of my body. My inner and lower back do much better. I am getting thicker but not wider. Thanks.
519 Posts: 69 Joined: 2003/11/03	2005/12/12, 12:06 PM lower the weight on the exercises until they seem almost too easy. take a few work outs and just concentrate on the muscles you are using. sometimes i have to close my eyes to really do this properly. you might also want to pay really close attention to what muscles you are using to initiate the movement. make sure you are pulling with your lats for example when doing a pull down, not starting (or finishing) with your arms or by throwing your body backwards. hope this helps. proper form and the ability to control a contraction will pay off huge down the road.
519 Posts: 69 Joined: 2003/11/03	2005/12/12, 12:08 PM i forgot to mention, after you learn how to control the muscle, begin to up the weights again. just keep them low until you have trained your body to move them properly with the muscle group you desire.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2005/12/15, 09:18 AM I have started seeing some growth in my lats. Its a small triangle but its there now. Time will take care of it. I've just gotta keep the pride (and weight down) to concentrate as you all have posted. Its really hard for me to concentrate on these muscles. Thanks for all of the input. Regarding pride, I was so fried from doing an awesome incline and decline chest workout last night that I could do only 135 on flat bench. As long as my chest gets pumped its all good. A few years ago it would have bothered me, but I am seeing much more results from strict slow motions even if with less weight.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2006/02/04, 09:21 AM I wanted to update this post. I switched up my workout and and doing chinups, pullups and wide pullups. I have seen much better increases in my lats than when trying to do machine pull downs. There is not much cheating when you're hanging from a bar. It is humbling though when you can only do a few starting out.
Jdelts Posts: 1,218 Joined: 2003/10/19	2006/02/05, 10:32 AM Fingers...I do see spmewhat of a glaring problem with your lat routine...there are no row movements. You NEED to hit the lats from different angles for maximum growth. Try bent-over rows or good ole' seated rows. What you're doing now is good but the lat workout is incomplete without deadlifts and rows. -------------- Shut up and grow. Thank God I don't have to got through another year of the Yankees winning the World Series.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2006/02/07, 09:41 PM jdelts, I should have updated. I started an upper/lower split about 4 weeks ago based on someone's recommendation. I now do upper 2 days per week and lower 2 days per week. For upper I do a chin ups and bent over rows on day 1 and I do pull ups and machine close grip rows on day 2. Upper day is vert push/pull and horiz push/pull. On leg day 2 I am doing deads. I actually love them but am having to get my form back. The upper/lower split has already given me a more balanced look. I only posted the back stuff above. Kudos to the person that educated me on it. I over taxed my CNS the end of week three. Man, I just shut down. I only got two days in last week. Thanks for your reply.
Jdelts Posts: 1,218 Joined: 2003/10/19	2006/02/11, 12:31 PM Awesome! Good luck.
2fingers Posts: 166 Joined: 2005/02/23	2006/02/14, 04:08 PM I have now changed to standing close grip rows with one end of bar with plates. I use the close grip v-shaped handle used on pulleys to hold the bar. I get much harder and better work than on seated machine close grip rows which this replaces.