The Best Way to Develop that V-Shaped Taper
I’ve heard the best way to develop that V-shaped abs taper in your lats is to perform pull ups and chin ups. What’s the difference between the two?
Pullups are performed with the palms facing away from you; chinups are performed with your palms facing you.
The best way to fully develop the V-taper body is to work hard and heavy on exercises that hit your abs and latissimus dorsi muscles (aka, “the lats”).
Pullups and chinups are two of the best exercises for this, as they require a high degree of effort (for most people) to complete.
Fully Developing the V-Taper
If you are strong and find pullups and chinups easy, take a nod from our Weight Training 101 article and use single progression: add resistance to chinups/pullups by hanging a weight off yourself (a dip belt works great).
When you can achieve your goal number of reps, increase the weight.
Other exercises work the lats and will help you develop both breadth and width to your back.
These include horizontal pulls such as rows (barbell and machine versions) and other vertical pulls such as pull downs and pullovers (a good pullover machine is great for developing big, strong lats)
Whichever exercise(s) you choose to work with, remember the three keys:
1) You will only succeed by working hard (high degree of effort) on the exercise.
2) You must employ progression – when the weight gets easy, increase it!
3) You must eat to recover. Be sure to give the body the raw material it needs to build muscle!
-Eugene