It’s a common fitness belief that wide-grip pullups work more lats, but biomechanically that’s not true.
It’s chin-ups that are Lat dominant. The supinated or neutral grip position with humerus going into overhead flexion in front of the body, the latissimus is the primary mover. The recruitment of the upper back musculature is much lesser in comparison simply do to the position. But the lats are being completed elongated and then shortening.
In contrast, The classical pronated grip pull-up does work lats, but the muscles that are being worked hardest are the teres major and minor. The arm is now at the side of the body and these muscles are being lengthened.
If all you do is wide grip pull-ups, you can have a “wide” upper back and still lack Latissimus development for.
For this reason, the solution for back development is simple: DO BOTH.
Be equally strong at both pull-ups and chin-ups, use both pronated and supinated grips, train both positions.
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