lat pulls at home?



L

Larisa

Guest
I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I go
to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas, since
I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at home
for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be done
with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily), but
how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do an
unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
machine is about 75 lbs.

Also, is there a good dumbbell substitute for hamstring curls?

I'll be grateful for any advice.

LM
 
Larisa wrote:

> I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I go
> to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas, since
> I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at home
> for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be done
> with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily), but
> how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do an
> unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
> machine is about 75 lbs.

I got some cheap exercise tubes and a "door attachment" (you close one
side in a door) and it worked for lat pulldowns or, by repositioning, as
seated rows. It mostly resembles a bowflex workout... except it only
costs $30.

http://secure.gofit.net/view_product.php?product=238

I hope your ill mother gets better so soon you don't have time to get
this stuff shipped! :)

Oh, another idea is to see if the gym in Texas has sharing ability with
away gyms. I belong to the Y and there's a nationwide program called
"Y-Away" where your Y card from your home gym will get you into nearly
any other Y. I frequently use Y's when I travel... there's almost
always one fairly nearby.

You might also sign up for a month pass at a nearby gym. Sometimes
they'll give "trial weeks" and you can try a week at each gym and your
mother will be better by then.

The benefit of getting out to a gym rather than cobbling together a
workout at home is that you'll need the down-time if you're caring for
her. Just getting in a pool and doing lap swims or going for a run
might clear your head, reduce your stress levels and give you more
energy for what you're dealing with at home.

HTH

Delenn
 
Justin Case wrote:
> On 26 Feb 2005 16:33:44 -0800, "Larisa" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I
go
> >to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas,
since
> >I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at
home
> >for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be
done
> >with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily),
but
> >how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do
an
> >unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
> >machine is about 75 lbs.
> >
> Dumbbell rows. Both one arm and two armed as if you were holding a
> barbell.
>
> http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/exdetails.asp?exid=97
>

Hmm, but does it use the same part of the lats? I usually do both lat
pulls and dumbbell rows, and I feel it in different parts of my back.

Thanks,

LM
 
Delenn wrote:
> Larisa wrote:
>
> > I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I
go
> > to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas,
since
> > I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at
home
> > for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be
done
> > with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily),
but
> > how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do
an
> > unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
> > machine is about 75 lbs.
>
> I got some cheap exercise tubes and a "door attachment" (you close
one
> side in a door) and it worked for lat pulldowns or, by repositioning,
as
> seated rows. It mostly resembles a bowflex workout... except it
only
> costs $30.
>
> http://secure.gofit.net/view_product.php?product=238
>
> I hope your ill mother gets better so soon you don't have time to get

> this stuff shipped! :)

Thanks. :) It does look interesting. Do they provide enough
resistance, though? I have this goal, you see (though I blush to admit
it) - I'd like to do an unassisted pullup. I've been steadily working
toward that goal - I started out with 30 lbs. and now I'm at 75, and I
hope to progress all the way to my bodyweight if it is physiologically
possible. From my experience with rubber bands, they tend to be rather
light in resistance - or was I just looking at the wrong ones?

> Oh, another idea is to see if the gym in Texas has sharing ability
with
> away gyms. I belong to the Y and there's a nationwide program called

> "Y-Away" where your Y card from your home gym will get you into
nearly
> any other Y. I frequently use Y's when I travel... there's almost
> always one fairly nearby.
>
> You might also sign up for a month pass at a nearby gym. Sometimes
> they'll give "trial weeks" and you can try a week at each gym and
your
> mother will be better by then.
>
> The benefit of getting out to a gym rather than cobbling together a
> workout at home is that you'll need the down-time if you're caring
for
> her. Just getting in a pool and doing lap swims or going for a run
> might clear your head, reduce your stress levels and give you more
> energy for what you're dealing with at home.

That's a good idea; I'll have to check and see. The gym I go to is a
national chain and I know there's one in San Antonio - I'll have to go
see what their policy is. At this point, however, I need to be at home
most of the time - hence the home workout thing. Maybe once she feels
better.

LM
 
Larisa wrote:
> Justin Case wrote:
>> On 26 Feb 2005 16:33:44 -0800, "Larisa" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I
>>> go to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in
>>> Texas, since I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to
>>> work out at home for the time being. As far as I can tell, most
>>> exercises can be done with just a set of dumbbells (which I can
>>> acquire fairly easily), but how does one exercise the lats with no
>>> fancy machines? I can't do an unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can
>>> pull down on a lat pull-down machine is about 75 lbs.
>>>
>> Dumbbell rows. Both one arm and two armed as if you were holding a
>> barbell.
>>
>> http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/exdetails.asp?exid=97
>>
>
> Hmm, but does it use the same part of the lats? I usually do both lat
> pulls and dumbbell rows, and I feel it in different parts of my back.
>
> Thanks,
>
> LM

Different parts. But if you did the dumbbell rows and chin-ups, you'd be
there.
--
-Larry
 
Larisa wrote:
> Justin Case wrote:
>
>>On 26 Feb 2005 16:33:44 -0800, "Larisa" <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I
>
> go
>
>>>to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas,
>
> since
>
>>>I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at
>
> home
>
>>>for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be
>
> done
>
>>>with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily),
>
> but
>
>>>how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do
>
> an
>
>>>unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
>>>machine is about 75 lbs.
>>>
>>
>>Dumbbell rows. Both one arm and two armed as if you were holding a
>>barbell.
>>
>>http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/exdetails.asp?exid=97
>>
>
>
> Hmm, but does it use the same part of the lats?

The lats are a muscle, you either work them or you don't.

> I usually do both lat
> pulls and dumbbell rows, and I feel it in different parts of my back.

There are many more muscles in your back than just the lats. The rowing
motions tend to work the scapula adductors in different proportions than
do the pulldown type motions. If all you have are a set of dumbbells (no
bench?) then dumbbell rows are the order of the day.

>
> Thanks,
>
> LM
>


--
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I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
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stiff leg deads and pull overs

Chris
"Larisa" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I go
> to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas, since
> I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at home
> for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be done
> with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily), but
> how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do an
> unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
> machine is about 75 lbs.
>
> Also, is there a good dumbbell substitute for hamstring curls?
>
> I'll be grateful for any advice.
>
> LM
>
 
Quoting "Larisa" <[email protected]>:

>I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I go
>to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas, since
>I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at home
>for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be done
>with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily), but
>how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do an
>unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
>machine is about 75 lbs.
>
>Also, is there a good dumbbell substitute for hamstring curls?
>
>I'll be grateful for any advice.

For the hams/glutes/lower back, stiff legged deads (either bar or
dumbbell) would do the trick.

Personally, I would recommend that you perform these with a slight
bend in your knee (keeping the leg stiff and the back straight) and
bending from the hip (think of bending like the hip is a hinge, not at
the waist, for safety). Might want to google the group to see how to
best do these -- think there was a fairly recent comment by Lyle on
how to do these properly.

For the lats, I'd recommend that you do negative reps of pullups (if
convenient in your current situation to get a doorway bar). Neg reps
are the best way to progress to the real thing. Boost yourself up to
the top position with a chair.

Other exercises that would target lats include:

o one armed rows -- be sure and check out Krista's website for the
proper form -- http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

Go to the "all dumbbells all the time" workout to read her notes on
this.

o dumbbell pullovers (one of my favs) -- you're basically going to lay
sideways on a bench or whatever object you currently have available;
supporting the upper back only. Just like rows, form is super
important.

If you want to view the exercise, go here:

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/home.htm

and

select "exercises"
then "upper back"
then "pullovers-dumbbell"
 
Dnia 2005-02-27 Larisa napisa³(a):
> I'm temporarily in Texas, taking care of my ill mother. The gym I go
> to is in California. I don't want to sign up for a gym in Texas, since
> I have no idea how long I'll be here, so I'd like to work out at home
> for the time being. As far as I can tell, most exercises can be done
> with just a set of dumbbells (which I can acquire fairly easily), but
> how does one exercise the lats with no fancy machines? I can't do an
> unassisted pullup, alas. Most I can pull down on a lat pull-down
> machine is about 75 lbs.

Put a rope through your chinup bar, put some kind of a handle through a
lower end and perform rows with it working against your bodyweight.
Modify difficulty of exercise by changing an angle of your body. That is,
the longer the rope and more horizontal position of your body, the more
difficult the exercise.

When you can row your bodyweight with your body parallel to the ground for
sets you are probably ready for negative pullups.

My step sister likes this exercise. Maybe it will suit you too.

> Also, is there a good dumbbell substitute for hamstring curls?

Stiff legged deadlifts. Also dumbbell rows will work your back quite
nicely.

Exact replacement for curls would involve strapping a dumbbell to your
leg and performing standing curls this way, but I do not think this is
necessary.

P.S. I just delurked. Hi to all.
--
Andrzej Rosa 1127R
Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience
usually comes from bad judgment.
 
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