Exercise library · Lats

How to Do Overhead Lat

Step-by-step instructions, muscles worked and workouts that use the overhead lat.

How to do it

1. Sit upright on the floor with your partner behind you. Raise one arm straight up, and flex the elbow, attempting to touch your hand to your back. Your parner should hold your tricep and wrist. This will be your starting position.
2. Attempt to pull your upper arm to your side as your partner prevents you from doing actually doing so.
3. After 10-20 seconds, relax the arm and allow your partner to further stretch the lat by applying gentle pressure to the tricep. Hold for 10-20 seconds, and then switch sides.

Form tips

• Start light and own the movement before adding weight.
• Control the lowering phase — don't drop into it.
• Keep breathing; exhale on the hardest part.
• Stop if you feel sharp pain (different from muscle burn).

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Gear for this exercise

Exercise matGrip and comfort for floor work, core and stretching.See it on Amazon →

Exercise photos and instructions: free-exercise-db (public domain). Animation made from the real start and end photos.