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LATS LIKE LADO'S


IFBB figure pro Mary Elizabeth Lado has your back with a powerhouse routine to sculpt your lats, strengthen your traps and build your confidence

By Jon Finkel | Photos by Joaquin Palting












On the stage in a figure show, fortunes are made or lost on one bodypart — the back. How defined and lean a competitor's back is can mean the difference between placing high and not placing at all. But all of us can stand to add a little bit of detail to our rear view. This routine has worked wonders for two-time Figure International champ Mary Elizabeth Lado — try it out to see what it can do for you!

THE ROUTINE 
Exercise		Sets 	Reps
Dumbbell Row	        4 	12
Standing Cable Row	5	10
T-Bar Row		4	10
Pull-Up/Chin		5	10
--For cardio, Mary uses the StepMill every morning and night. In the off-season, she does 30—40 minutes per session, while precontest she ups it to an hour each time. 

TRAINING SPLIT
Day	Bodyparts Trained
1	Legs
2 	Chest
3 	Back
4 	Shoulders
5 	Arms
6 	Cardio only
7 	Cardio only
THE EXERCISES

DUMBBELL ROW
TARGET: Lower lats
START: With one knee on a flat bench, lean forward and place your same-side hand on the bench while keeping your back parallel to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in your other hand and let it hang straight down from your shoulder.
EXECUTION: Pull the weight up and back toward your hip, concentrating on pulling with your back muscles, until your elbow is slightly above the level of your back. Pause, then lower the weight.
MARY SAYS: "I like to hold for two seconds at the top of the movement and squeeze. This helps me concentrate on the muscle I'm working."

STANDING CABLE ROW
TARGET: Lower lats
START: Stand 2 feet away from a low-pulley cable station. Bend your knees and lean forward, keeping your back flat. Grasp a close-grip handle so your palms face each other.
EXECUTION: Bring the handle toward your midsection, keeping your elbows along your sides. Pull until your elbows are slightly beyond the plane of your back, then return to the start position.
MARY SAYS: "As with the one-arm row, I'll hold the top of this movement for two seconds. Sometimes, I'll use an extra-slow pace so I can really feel it throughout the range of motion."

T-BAR ROW
TARGETS: Upper lats, middle back (rhomboids, middle traps)
START: Lean against the pad of a T-bar bench with your feet on the footrests. With your arms fully extended, grasp the handles using a wide, overhand grip. Wrap your thumbs around the handles for safety.
EXECUTION: Pull the handles toward you until your elbows pass the plane of your back. Hold the peak-contracted position briefly before slowly lowering the weight.
MARY SAYS: "I usually do this as my third exercise, so I'm already warmed up when I get to it and I can lift a bit heavier."

PULL-UP/CHIN
TARGETS: Upper lats (pull-up); lower lats (chin)
START: Grasp a fixed horizontal bar with your palms facing forward and spaced wide for a pull-up or facing you and spaced close for a chin. Relax your shoulders to fully extend your lats and hang freely, ankles crossed behind you.
EXECUTION: Concentrate on keeping your elbows out to your sides, and pull yourself up as high as you can. Lower your body and repeat.
MARY SAYS: "I try to do these at a controlled pace. When I get tired at the end, I ask a spotter to help me finish my last few reps."

>> To learn more about Mary Elizabeth Lado and what got her to the top of the figure food chain, click here.     

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