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Anatomy Chart courtesy of FCIT
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The Latissimus
Dorsi muscles (also known as the
Lats)
are the largest muscles of the back.
Being large,
fan-shaped muscles, they are able to provide
force in a wide range of body positions, e.g.
leaning back to straight vertical and all
points in between.
The Lats
are attached to the upper end of the humerus
with fibers running down in a fan down the
vertebral column and pelvic girdle.
The Trapezius
(trap) muscle is a long, trapezoid-shaped
muscle that runs down the upper section of
the spinal cord, originating at the base of
the skull and attaching down in the middle
to lower back.
The angles of
the Trapezius
fibers provide pull in three different directions:
up, down and in towards the centerline of
the body.
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| Functions |
The function
of the Latissimus
Dorsi is to pull the arm down towards
the pelvis. When the arm is fixed (e.g. during
a chin-up), the lats serve to bring the body
up towards the arm. It is the same basic movement
but with the directions reversed. The Lats
also function to stabilize the torso during
many movements, including the flat bench press.
The functions
of the Trapezius
muscle include scapular elevation (shrugging
up), scapular adduction (drawing the shoulder
blades together) and scapular depression (pulling
the shoulder blades down).
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| Exercises |
Exercises that
work the Latissimus
Dorsi include:
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Spinal
Erectors
The Erector
Spinae is a group of muscles that
support the spinal column. They include the
Longissimus,
the Spinalis
and Iliocostalis.
The muscles of the Erector
Spinae attach
to the vertebrae, the ribs and the pelvis.
The functions of the Erector
Spinae group are to extend the
spine as well as provide support for it.
Exercises that
work the Erector
Spinae include hyperextensions,
deadlifts and good mornings.
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Anatomy Chart courtesy of FCIT
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Anatomy Chart courtesy of FCIT
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The Teres
Major muscle originates on the
outer (lateral) edge of the scapula and attaches
to the humerus.
The Teres
Major
muscles work with the Rotator
Cuff muscles to stabilize the shoulder
joint and works with the Latissimus
Dorsi muscles to pull the humerus
back.
The Rhomboids
(Major and Minor)
originate on the spinal column and
attach to the middle (medial) surface of the
scapula.
The Rhomboid
muscles get their name from their shape: rhomboid.
The Major
and Minor
designations refer to their relative size
to each other.
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| Functions |
The function
of the Teres Major
is to move the humerus posteriorly, meaning
that it brings the arm towards the back.
The Rhomboids
function to bring the scapula in towards the
spinal column, essentially squeezing the shoulder
blades together when the Rhomboids
of both sides are used at the same time.
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| Exercises |
Exercises that
work the Teres Major
and Rhomboids
include:
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