Building Lats/ Obliques

[vinnieg33]

So I have worked hard for the past couple of years and have built some solid muscle in my arms, chest, and legs. I've worked by Traps hard and by upper core is strengthened. I stil have fat around by midsection and want some help on working the Obliques and lower abdominals. Also, I want that V-Shape, how can you build your Lats, are pull ups the best option?

[Suiko]

Bicycle crunches, planks and side planks. This won't help you lose that fat though only strengthen the muscles underneath it, you need to do some cardio and eat a little less if you want your abs to actually show

As for lats yep pull ups are great but I'd also recommend lat pull downs and bent over rows which is a great back exercise all around. You can use a barbell or dumbbell, personally I just do dumbbells

[vinnieg33]

Suiko

Thanks man, I never even really considered bent over rows, I can use those a lot. I'll give those a shot and work in some bicycle crunches too. Thanks again.

[Fryderyk Chopin]

For lats, along with the rows, pullups, and lat pulldowns, I would like to add that straight-arm pull downs done standing isolates the back really well, should you want to warm up and get your lats awake for training first (pre-exhaust). This is a good thing to do, especially if you're an arm-dominant person when it comes to the pulls.

[Viking Josh]

Pullups, barbell rows, cable rows, one armed rows,and one arm lat pulldowns.

[AryuLost]

Wide grip pullups, bent over rows.

[B4T]

vinnieg33

I stil have fat around by midsection and want some help on working the Obliques and lower abdominals.

Basic movements like crunches and hanging hip raises work the entire rectus abdominis (upper and lower portions) as well as the obliques, which also assist in trunk flexion. Stick to the basics, work hard. Losing fat is largely diet, keep in mind.

vinnieg33

Also, I want that V-Shape, how can you build your Lats, are pull ups the best option?

Not necessarily. The vertical pull is an excellent motion, and pullups are a form of vertical pull, as is a lat pulldown. It comes down to what is feasible for you. Nobody but you can figure out what your ideal tempo and rep range is for progress. Most people can't do a pull up, and most people who can do it very sloppily, with bad form, and with a pitiful number of reps. The lat pulldown is a better option for most people.

The people for whom pullups are a better option are already well trained with a base of strength of endurance, and well put together enough not to be asking advice, so if you have the opportunity to make use of a high pulley, do so.

It's possible to work your way up for ugly half-reps on a pull up bar to doing sets of 20 perfect ones, but it's not a fun path. It's one wrought with injury and a lack of progress. The variable weights and rep options of a lat pulldown are superior for beginners.

The horizantal pulls Suiko recommended are also good. If you are to use a free weight for the horizantal, I'd concur that doing a dumbbell row (1 arm at a time, supporting the torso with the free hand) is good, because this protects your back. For most people, the lower back is too weak to allow any decent weight when doing bent-over rows with both arms at once, and it's difficult to keep balance while bending forward adequately, it requires more flexibility than most can afford.

Fryderyk Chopin

I would like to add that straight-arm pull downs done standing isolates the back really well, should you want to warm up and get your lats awake for training first (pre-exhaust). This is a good thing to do, especially if you're an arm-dominant person when it comes to the pulls.

Also a good point.

Guess we could also throw in 'pullovers' but I've personally never liked them. Straight arm pulldowns allow a fuller range of motion, I found.

Viking Josh

Pullups, barbell rows, cable rows, one armed rows,and one arm lat pulldowns.

Heaven forbid, why no 2-arm lat pulldowns?

AryuLost

Wide grip pullups, bent over rows.

What of wide grip pulldowns?

[Nariera]

Pull ups. Do them. End of story.

Obliques..some of those random ab exercise thingy.