But, you are still missing pure shoulder extension based movements, which isolate the lats, such as the cable straight arm lat pulldown (FYI some people call it a straight arm lat pushdown or cable pullover). These are all great compound exercises that train two or more muscle groups. To best develop the lats, you need well-rounded back training that includes horizontal pulls, vertical pulls, and horizontal-vertical pulls (i.e. Unlike most compound lat exercises, there is limited bicep action, which drives more activation to the lats. Row variations, chin-ups, and pull-ups will all give you wings. However, an exercise that’s often neglected but fantastic for isolating the lats is the straight arm pulldown. There are many great exercises to add strength and muscle to the lats.
