Best exercise for the Teres Major

[gymratluke]

I am lacking this muscle and would like to know what I can do to build it up....Discuss

[oldmanmarley]

I think that's the muscle that I feel working the most when i do lat pulldowns. But the way i do pulldowns, I keep my elbows out to the side usually. I feel like if I do them this way, the focus is more on the teres major, and if my elbows are more to the front, the focus is more on the lats.
Then again, I might be mistaken. I might be talking about the wrong muscle (all those upper back muscles seem complicated). Hopefully someone else will comment.

[Tyrbolift]

I think that's the muscle that I feel working the most when i do lat pulldowns. But the way i do pulldowns, I keep my elbows out to the side usually. I feel like if I do them this way, the focus is more on the teres major, and if my elbows are more to the front, the focus is more on the lats.
Then again, I might be mistaken. I might be talking about the wrong muscle (all those upper back muscles seem complicated). Hopefully someone else will comment.

Yes, pulldowns with elbows out definitely hit them. Also, to really focus on T.M. I like to use the pulldown attachment that looks like this: (l---o---l) with handles at each end---and sit directly underneath it and bring the bar down almost on top of your head with elbows flared. Then you can either go behind or front of your head with it.

Another exercise you can try is a simple standing straight arm pushdown with the cables. You can even use that same bar as shown above and starting high, you bring your arms out in front of you and end up with it in front of your hips.

[gymratluke]

Yes, pulldowns with elbows out definitely hit them. Also, to really focus on T.M. I like to use the pulldown attachment that looks like this: (l---o---l) with handles at each end---and sit directly underneath it and bring the bar down almost on top of your head with elbows flared. Then you can either go behind or front of your head with it.

Another exercise you can try is a simple standing straight arm pushdown with the cables. You can even use that same bar as shown above and starting high, you bring your arms out in front of you and end up with it in front of your hips.

Those are called Stiff arm Lat Pull downs! I think they are THE best teres major builder! I'd been doing them for the past 3 years until just recently, but I am going to add them back into my routine!

[stealth_swimmer]

What hits the Teres Major best for me is Seated Cable Rows using a lat pulldown attachment and utilizing an underhand grip. Hits the lats and middle back muscles but places great emphasis on the Teres Major. I feel it best when I pull the bar towards the upper part of my abs, just 2 inches or a little more below my pecs.

I have added them recently to my back workouts because I have started emphasizing back thickness and upper back development especially.

[stealth_swimmer]

Oh, one more thing. When using an underhand grip you have to work a little extra not to use too much bicep involvement or they end up taking on most of the work. But if you do this then I feel this is one of the best exercises for the Teres Major, and it's my favorite for it.

[Tyrbolift]

Oh, one more thing. When using an underhand grip you have to work a little extra not to use too much bicep involvement or they end up taking on most of the work. But if you do this then I feel this is one of the best exercises for the Teres Major, and it's my favorite for it.

I like to do a similar exercise with underhand grip, but instead of seated row, I do a seated pulldown. More effective ROM that way, IMO.

[stealth_swimmer]

I like to do a similar exercise with underhand grip, but instead of seated row, I do a seated pulldown. More effective ROM that way, IMO.

Interesting. How is the ROM different though? The only difference I can see is the angle. I sometimes do underhand grip pulldowns but I do them to place a little more emphasis on the lats.

[Killa Cris]

Lat shrugs: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=588364

[gymratluke]

Lat shrugs: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=588364

Awesome!!!

[oldmanmarley]

Interesting. How is the ROM different though? The only difference I can see is the angle. I sometimes do underhand grip pulldowns but I do them to place a little more emphasis on the lats.

Think of the motion that the elbow takes in each exercise. For pulldowns the elbows go from overhead all the way down to your sides (~180 degrees); for rows the elbows go from directly in front of you to slightly past your sides (probably around 100 degrees).

[gymratluke]

bump

[michaelchoy]

I am lacking this muscle and would like to know what I can do to build it up....Discuss

Personally, the grip and the hand position play a huge roll on building your Teres Major. I recommend using a medium-wide Hand Position and a OVERHAND grip. I've found that the overhand grip is much more beneficial to the Teres Major than the underhand grip. I also see some people consider doing the underhand grip, but that will activate the Bicep. So, I would recommend to use the overhand grip to isolate Teres Major.

I also found a few other exercises to work the Lats and the Teres Major
-Cable Rows
-Lat Pull Ins
-Cable Pullovers