I'm having a hard time hitting lats with rows and pullups.

Rows = bring the bar into your waste
Pulls = only bring the bar down to your nose

Any other way and I feel it too much in my shoulders.

I was having a problem with this when I first started. I added in straight arm lat pulls don't really know what they're called. You keep your arms out in front of you on a cable and bring the bar down to your waist. Anyways these really helped me develop that connection YMMV.

>>39952076
Could you find me a visual representation of this? I THINK I understand what you're saying but I don't wanna be wrong and waste a bunch of time.

>>39952064
This is some dumb as shit advice

>>39952085
It's pretty god damn simple. It's a dumbbell pullover but instead of propped on a bench you stand and use a cable machine. It's basically doing tricep extensions but for your lats.

>>39952085
Basically tricep push downs but instead of keeping your elbows in you keep your arms straight and rotate at your shoulders. Use a rope attachment for best results.

>>39952096
>>39952094
Sweet, thanks. I guess I will rig up a cable machine then.

>>39952091
>backlet

this is gonna sound kinda cooked, but I was having trouble hitting my lats too and Rows didn't do much and I can't do many pull-ups so I started pulling the bar really low on Pulldowns. Like, instead of to my chest I was pulling it down as far as I could before I was pushing it down if that makes sense? Anyway, after doing a few sets of that it felt like my lats were cramping and I could feel they had been engaged after that workout. So far that's the only way I've been able to engage mine, so maybe try that?

Also what >>39952076 said, doing the straight arm pulldown things feels pretty good too. I'm still DYEL but hopefully it helps?

With lats you just have to focus on pulling with your elbows. By keeping the wrists straight you can limit the biceps involvement in rows, pullups, and even chinups. I highly recommend doing paused lat pulldowns and dumbbell rows if you want to feel your lats activate.

That being said, can anyone give me some chest tips? I struggle with activating mine while using my back comes easy to me.

Do supine grip and pause at the bottom. It's what I've been doing for the last few weeks and it really helps activating lats (I could never properly engage them with the normal wide grip). Just make sure you're pulling with your elbows otherwise it'll turn into a bicep dominant exercise. Also try to bring it down to your chest.

>>39952042
On pullups you have to lean back like in the video to hit lats more

https://youtu.be/ajmI1P3r1w4?t=1m30s

>>39952122
don't listen to this

>>39952042
weighted pull ups, especially with a backpack rather than a belt, work my lats a lot more

>>39953409
I used to struggle with chest. Odd thing that helped me out on pretty much every chest exercise around the board was keeping my chest flexed throughout the duration of the movement. It kinda forced me to feel the stretch in my chest.

Your not protracting your shoulders when you perform pull ups or rows. Pretty simple fix.

>>39955145
Also to add to this hit the bar with your chest on pull ups don't try and hump the bar and don't grip the bar too hard have a medium grip

>>39952042
Retract your scapula at the start of your pull and pull only with your elbow while thinking about the upper arms and forearms as only ropes.

>>39955109
well you obviously weren't 'flexing' the entire time , because that implies it was constantly contracted; i.e. not moving.
What you mean is you actually were able to isolate and target the muscle instead of using secondary ones, with shit form. your form improved that's all

>>39952042
does your gym have an assisted pullup machine? Just do that

Are you meant to hit the clavicle on lat pulldown?

>>39953498
holy shit, was that khaled first appearance?

Make sure to emphasize the strength to help you feel the muscle extending. As far as form goes, when pulling down, think of bending the bar in half and pulling your elbows toward your butt. When rowing, keep in mind the stretch but visualize your forearm crossing your body like it does on bench press, remember that full range of motion to get the full squeeze as your pull your elbows as far back as possible while maintaining proper posture. Also try posing and flaring your lats to help you find the connection

use semi light weights, something you can do for 15-20 reps then focus on using your arms like hooks, focus on them just there to hold the bar.

keep doing it until you feel your lats

I do this type of shit if i don't feel a workout in the places i want

you want to think about the movement that requires that muscle to activate

try flexing your lats before doing it to so you can a better sense when you're using them and how to

>>39961136
12-15 can work to
you want something that isn't too heavy where your other muscles with compensate and try to help

dont forget to have an arch in your back, lats also have this function