Overhead Lat
An advanced mobility exercise that works the upper back.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Overhead Lat
- 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.
- Attempt to pull your upper arm to your side as your partner prevents you from doing actually doing so.
- 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.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Overhead Lat
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Latissimus Dorsi-SMR
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back, using a foam roller.
-
2
Rhomboids-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the upper back, using a foam roller.
-
3
Chair Lower Back Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
-
4
Dynamic Back Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
-
5
Middle Back Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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6
One Arm Against Wall
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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7
One Handed Hang
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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8
Side-Lying Floor Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
-
9
Spinal Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
-
10
Upper Back Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do overhead lat work?
Overhead Lat primarily works the upper back. The triceps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for overhead lat?
The source dataset does not record equipment for overhead lat. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Overhead Lat: is it suitable for beginners?
Overhead Lat is rated advanced. High skill or high load. Worth earning rather than starting with.
What can I do instead of overhead lat?
Latissimus Dorsi-SMR, Rhomboids-SMR, Chair Lower Back Stretch train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log overhead lat in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the upper back on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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