An electronic cigarette which is commonly known as a vape is a gadget that mimics smoking tobacco. It is made of a vaporizer, a battery or other form of power source, and a cartridge you’re not the only one who has considered trying to stop smoking. Almost 6 out of 10 smokers say they wish to quit. And one of the biggest questions that arise is vaping harmful to you? There are numerous unanswered questions regarding vaping, including the chemicals that make up the vapour and their long-term effects on physical health. People need to understand that using e-cigarettes could be harmful to their overall well-being.
E-cigarettes are more widely used among youngsters than any other. It’s crucial to understand that every organ in your body, including your heart, is harmed by smoking, or secondhand smoke contributes to over one-third of heart disease deaths.
According to the study, people who use e-cigarettes infrequently have a 31% higher risk of developing respiratory ailments, whereas daily vapers are 73% more likely to do so.
Research has also shown that vaping immediately stiffens and tightens your blood vessels, limiting the movement of oxygenated blood to and from the heart to other parts of the body.
So vaping, which otherwise may be considered as a true life necessity by the people who are addicted, may significantly increase your chance of developing coronary artery disease, anxiety, and cardiac arrest.
Additionally, vaping makes your heart work harder than it has to because it increases heart rate, thickens artery plaque, and may even cause an irregular heartbeat.
The link between Vaping and lungs
Among smokers, lung issues such as breathing issues are more frequently such as asthma. E-cigarettes were advertised as being superior to traditional tobacco cigarettes when they initially hit the market.
Instead of smoking tobacco, people would inhale tobacco vapour or a mist. Often being considered the safer alternative to smoking due to its so-called natural ingredients. it is considered that it might help people who want to quit smoking.
Vaping causes severe damage to your lungs. You wonder, how? E-cigarette use has been linked to studies that suggest it may worsen lung and airway inflammation, which can eventually result in COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Can different vape flavours be harmful to you?
Vape is available in a wide range of flavours, including candy, bubblegum, mint, mango, and many more. All vape variants carry the same risk of lung and cell damage, and mixing flavours may increase this risk. Some studies claim that flavours can be extremely addictive and harmful to our health.
What are the side effects of vaping?
Dry throat
Fatigue
Cough
Dry skin
Itchiness
Burn eyes
Epistaxis-nosebleeds
What Are Vaping’s Health Consequences?
Nicotine, a highly addictive chemical, is an ingredient in e-cigarettes. addiction might develop even if you don’t vape every day.
Depression and anxiety- Nicotine worsens both conditions. Which impacts memory, concentration, self-control, and attention.
Difficulties during sleep
Exposure to chemicals that cause cancer
Final thoughts
Vaping may be more convenient for you, easier to use, and odourless than cigarettes, but it is more likely to be deadly.
Vaping is not a healthy option, despite the fact that you might believe it to be less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes. Several studies have shown that vaping may be bad for your lungs and heart.
It is believed that smoking nicotine might cause significant heart problems, particularly in those who already have heart disease.
There is no evidence that any tobacco product may successfully help you in quitting smoking, and none are safe. They might have dangerous concentrations of nicotine, chemicals, neurotoxins, and metals, and they might be just as addictive.
After quitting vaping, you’ll experience a number of advantages, including the ability to exercise or engage in physical activity without experiencing as much breathlessness.
Have you ever questioned the purpose of consuming Kuttu ka Atta during the nine-day Navratri fast? Navratri is a time when fasting and mindful eating are especially important.
According to Hindu customs, eating grains during Navratri is strictly forbidden, thus people instead eat fake cereals like Kuttu (buckwheat) and Singhare ka Atta (water chestnut). Kuttu ka atta is ideal for the falahari vrat since it is produced from fruit seeds. But did you know Kuttu Atta has some very useful benefits for your health that makes it an ideal inclusion in your diet even beyond navratri.
Kuttu ka atta, also known as buckwheat, is loaded with wholesome health benefits. In fact, it contains nutrients that can boost your well-being with regular consumption.
Health benefits of Kuttu ka Atta?
High-quality protein, magnesium, vitamin B6, dietary fibre, iron, niacin (vitamin B3), thiamine (vitamin B1), and zinc are all found in abundance in buckwheat. In addition, buckwheat has a greater level of nutritional fibre than other plant-based flours.
Due to its high fibre and nutritional value, it helps to enhance digestion and weight control by speeding up metabolism. It speeds up weight loss and increases metabolism. Kuttu atta might help you feel less bloated and indigestion prevents indigestion, as compared to regular wheat flour.
Buckwheat flour has a lot of fibre. It aids in modulating the hormones in the gastrointestinal tract that promote better digestion. For people who have bloating and indigestion, this can be quite useful. It will have a particularly big influence on helping those with Celiac Disease with their digestion.
In fact, increasing your consumption of fibre by 5 percent can lower your chance of getting gallbladder stones by 10 percent , according to the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Though it is packed with proteins, kuttu atta is extremely low in calories. Additionally, it is gluten-free and helps other nutrients absorb better. Making it simpler to digest than the widely used wheat flour, thereby accelerating the metabolism. Its low glycemic index is another aspect that helps in weight loss.
Works great in improving hair and skin quality
The antioxidant content of kuttu ka atta is high, and antioxidants are essential for the production of new skin cells and tissues that are necessary to prevent wrinkles from forming and maintain good hair.
There is no question that calcium is necessary, but magnesium consumption is just as crucial since, without it, your body cannot absorb calcium. It turns out that buckwheat is very high in magnesium content.
Easy Kuttu Atta recipes that you must try
Kuttu cutlet
Add 1 cup of handmade chenna (cheesecurd), 3 tablespoons of buckwheat flour, black pepper, and sendha namak to taste along with 1 cup of mashed potatoes.
You can also add coriander leaves and green chillies. Make a smooth dough and flatten them, cook them with ghee in a nonstick pan and cook by flipping both sides.
Kuttu dosa
Take 4 tablespoons of buckwheat flour, add curd, cumin powder, green chilies, and sendha namak to make this fast dosa dish.
Let it ferment for a few hours. Pour a ladle of the batter onto a tawa, spread it out evenly and thin on the tawa, top it with 1 tsp of ghee, and cook by turning over the sides to make this tasty dosa , then eat with chutney.
Kuttu pakora
Start by boiling a variety of vegetables and setting them aside for this simple dish. Add Ghee to a pan and wait till it heats up. In the meantime, take Kuttu Atta in a bowl, add spices and a little water to make a thick batter. Now dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry. Serve hot with chai or coffee.
Kuttu sweet pancakes
To prepare sweet pancakes with Kuttu Atta, take 1 cup milk and add 3 tbsp kuttu ka atta, 1 ½ tbsp sugar. and whisk the batter. Put a little ghee on a tawa and pour a little quantity of the batter and spread it thin. Cook for a few minutes and your sweet pancakes are ready.
To add some excitement to the pancake, top it with nuts, dry fruits and some honey.
Final thoughts
Due to the presence of D-chiro-inositol, which manages type-2 diabetes, kuttu ka atta is known to maintain the lipid balance in your body. This promotes glucose metabolism, ensuring that your blood sugar levels stay within safe ranges. Having stated that, we advise seeking medical advice before including it in your diet.
If you want to stay healthy, we recommend starting to eat kuttu ka atta every day even if you usually only do so during Navratri fasting.
You can try the above recipes this festive season to get the nutritional benefits and taste of kuttu atta.
Furthermore, you should also undergo preventive health checkups. These health checks give a complete report about your health, allowing you to take necessary precautionary measures to improve your well-being and keep a host of ailments at bay.
Deaths by suicide increased 4% in 2021 compared to 2020, ending a two-year decline, according to provisional data released by the National Center for Health Statistics on Sept. 30. A total of 47,646 deaths were recorded as suicides during 2021, at a rate of about 14 deaths per 100,000 people.
The largest increases were among men—especially young men. The age-adjusted suicide rate rose by about 3% among males in 2021 and by 2% among females (although the increase among females was not statistically significant) compared to 2020. The greatest increase among males—8%—occurred among ages 15 to 24. In 2020, suicide was the third leading cause of death for people in that age group, and the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 14 and 25 to 34. Past research has found that the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for young people, who have been found to be more likely than older adults to report symptoms of depression and anxiety during the crisis.
Suicide deaths in the U.S. decreased during the 1980s and 90s, but they have been generally increasing (except for slight declines during some years) for the last two decades. In 2021, just 1% fewer people died by suicide than in 2018, which is the year with the highest suicide rate since 1942.
Experts emphasize that the causes of suicide are complex, and there are many risk factors. Though the report does not speculate about what may have contributed to increased rates in 2021, other researchers have warned that fallout from the pandemic—such as job loss, increased stress, and social isolation—could create a “perfect storm” that may contribute to an increase in suicides.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental-health crisis or contemplating suicide, call or text 988. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.
A controversial new drug for ALS that just received FDA approval could add months to patients’ lives, but some scientists question whether it actually works.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
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Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
A controversial new drug for ALS that just received FDA approval could add months to patients’ lives, but some scientists question whether it actually works.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a controversial new drug for the fatal condition known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The decision is being hailed by patients and their advocates, but questioned by some scientists.
Relyvrio, made by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., was approved based on a single study of just 137 patients. Results suggested the drug might extend patients’ lives by five to six months, or more.
“Six months can be someone attending their daughter’s graduation, a wedding, the birth of a child,” says Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of the ALS Association. “These are really big, monumental things that many people want to make sure that they’re around to see and be a part of.”
Balas says approval was the right decision because patients with ALS typically die within two to five years of a diagnosis, and “right now there just aren’t a lot of drugs available.”
But Dr. David Rind, chief medical officer for the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, isn’t so sure about Relyvrio, which will cost about $158,000 a year.
“I totally understand why people would be trying to figure out a way to get this to patients,” he says. “There’s just a general concern out there that maybe the trial is wrong.”
ALS kills about 6,000 people a year in the U.S. by gradually destroying nerve cells that control voluntary movements, like walking, talking, eating, and even breathing. Relyvrio, a combination of two existing products, is intended to slow down the disease process.
Proponents of the drug say the small trial showed that it works. But FDA scientists and an expert panel that advises the FDA, weren’t so sure.
Typically, FDA approval requires two independent studies – each with hundreds of participants – showing effectiveness, or one large study with clearly positive results.
In March, the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory committee concluded that the Amylyx study did not provide “substantial evidence” that its drug was effective. Then in September, during a rare second meeting to consider a drug, the panel reversed course and voted in favor of approval.
The second vote came after Dr. Billy Dunn, director of the FDA’s Office of Neuroscience, encouraged the committee to exercise “flexibility” when considering a drug that might help people facing certain death.
A much larger study of Relyvrio, the Phoenix Trial, is under way. But results are more than a year off.
A negative result from that study would be a major blow to Amylyx and ALS patients.
“If you’ve got a drug that’s extending life by five months,” Rind says, “you ought to be able to show that in a larger trial.”
In the meantime, he says, perhaps Amylix should charge less for their drug.
Relyvrio (marketed as Albrioza in Canada) is the only product made by Amylyx, a company founded less than a decade ago by Joshua Cohen and Justin Klee, who attended Brown University together.
Klee defends the drug’s price, saying it will allow the company to develop even better treatments. “This is not a cure,” he says. “We need to keep investing until we cure ALS.”
Klee and Cohen have also promised that Amylyx will re-evaluate its drug based on the results of the Phoenix trial.
“If the Phoenix trial is not successful,” Klee says, “we will do what’s right for patients, which includes taking the drug voluntarily off the market.”
But that the decision would require support from the company’s investors, and its board of directors.
What are you up to this weekend? My sister and niece are coming to visit! We’re planning to get chocolate croissants and hit up our favorite playgrounds. Hope you have a good weekend — stay safe — and here are some links from around the web…
The new movie Bros looks great. “Simply put, why has it taken so long for a movie like this to exist?” writes David Sims in The Atlantic.
How do I have more fun as a mom? “Having fun as a parent for me is less about pursuing fun experiences (often backfires anyway since a kid will burn it all down at Disney World because they wish they’d gotten a different type of ice cream) but about dialing down the things that put me in a bad mood. Like packing lunches. When I’m in a good mood, any dumb bullshit is fun. It’s part of being a good hang.”
Plus, two reader comments:
Says Annie on what has surprised me about preteens: “My 10-year-old and I often go out for bagels on the weekends. We both bring our books and sit reading and eating in companionable silence. Sometimes he reach out and holds my hand. It’s…the greatest thing ever.”
Says Kat on 10 readers share their happy moments: “I purchased my dad Storyworth as a gift and oh man, the old man is bringing it. I asked who he dated before getting married, and he proceeded to tell the story of his ‘sexual awakening.’ I first read it on the bus, where I’m pretty sure my jaw was hanging open in shock and probably horror, but when I got home, I reread it — the nervous school dances with girls, the missed connections and first kisses, the story of being at college in the 1960s when a girl, casually, opened her bed to him — and, well, I laughed and smiled and felt so good. First, that we’re all human and these awkward stories make us and also delight us as we get older. And second, hell yeah, dad! These stories could have been lost and forgotten as he gets older, and no one thinks to ask, ‘hey, dad, so tell me about some hot dates you went on.’ So, I’m happy to see a fuller, more complex version of this person I love even if it’s hilariously awkward that he would share these stories with his daughter and family!”
(Photo of the Isle of Skye in Scotland by Ruth Black/Stocksy.)
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way many patients access the healthcare system. It’s impossible to put the genie back in the bottle, but providers still need to innovate on their digital front door strategies, said panelists during a discussion hosted by market research firm Frost & Sullivan.
The digital front door includes apps, websites, patient portals and devices that can engage or guide patients outside brick-and-mortar facilities.
Patrick Drewry, vice president of patient engagement at Change Healthcare, said many healthcare organizations don’t think of themselves primarily as businesses and may not consider metrics like customer retention. But he argues that patients will go to other health systems if the digital front door isn’t accessible to them.
“It’s no longer a utility, an expense to set up this technology to be able to offer this to your patient,” he said. “There’s a business case here, and one that can be considered a growth or survival case. That’s the way people need to start thinking, and people are. Your competitors are, and so, if you don’t, there are consequences for that.”
Many provider organizations have built up their digital front door strategies over time, leaving them with a host of point solutions and vendors. Naomi Adams, senior vice president of customer strategy and solution engineering at League, argues that a platform approach is important so patients can find all of these digital tools in one place.
Using data to personalize the experience could also push patients toward what action they need to take next.
“Healthcare is fundamentally complex. It’s very difficult to navigate. Getting everything in one place is step one, but then making it easy for the consumer to navigate within that,” Adams said, “both digitally and in a more omnichannel way, especially when we’re talking about provider systems where there is that real world, brick-and-mortar location that needs to be considered in the patient journey.”
Adams notes many organizations will add these engagement tools on top of the EHR since they already need to invest in the technology. But EHRs weren’t necessarily designed to be patient-facing engagement tools.
Dr. Rishi Pathak, global director of healthcare and life sciences at Frost & Sullivan, said healthcare providers are changing their strategies as they face more competitors from non-traditional players like Amazon and CVS.
“There is a big shift, wherein most of the healthcare providers are now looking towards more migration from point solutions to more of a platform and integrated solutions,” he said, “moving from data silos to have more of a patient experience and digital front door service to their patients.”
José Valdes, senior director of alliances at Castlight Health, argues that healthcare organizations need to provide action-oriented information to patients, like what they need to do next and when it needs to be done. They also should be able to manage these tasks on their phones, he added.
“I think things that the system still hasn’t addressed are some of the simple things, some of the low-hanging fruit,” Valdes said. “Making it easy to get an appointment, making it easy to communicate with your providers, making it easy to get the information that you need from the providers you are working with.”
Even if you skipped Latin class or missed boarding school altogether, most lifters in the gym are familiar with their lats — the large, fan-shaped muscle that occupies most of your back. This makes sense because “latissimus dorsi” translates to “broadest muscle of the back side.”
Well-developed lats enhance the breadth of your physique by filling the space between your rib cage and arms. The lats support your low back and transmit energy between your hips and shoulders during athletic endeavors.
Finally, the lats are massive contributors to upper body pulling strength. Whether hoisting yourself over a wall at an obstacle course race or drawing in an opponent during a grappling sport, the lats are as useful as they are aesthetic.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
We all need a strong, substantial set of lats. You might already train them with pull-ups and pulldowns. Sure, those are great, but there’s an assortment of effective lat exercises that only require a few dumbbells. Here are the best dumbbell exercises to hit your lats.
10 Best Dumbbell Exercises for Lats
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Sometimes the simplest exercise is the most effective. The bent-over dumbbell row delivers a heavy training stimulus to the lats and other muscles of the back while reinforcing hip hinge mechanics. In fact, the bent-over row shows comparable low back extensor muscle activity to the Romanian deadlift (RDL). (1)
Unlike the barbell row, which is traditionally performed with an overhand grip on a straight bar, the dumbbell version allows an elbow-friendly neutral forearm rotation. To better target the lats, pull your elbows straight back out to the side. (2)
How to Do the Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Stand upright while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend forward at the hips and keep a slight bend in your knees. Allow the dumbbells to hang from your straight arms, slight in front of your knees.
Row both dumbbells toward the bottom of your ribcage by pulling the elbows and shoulders back. Keep your trunk at a constant angle to the floor. Don’t jerk your upper body up and down to move the weight.
Benefits of the Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
Maintaining the hip hinge (bent forward) position trains your glutes and spinal erectors while you row. (1)(3)
Rowing from the bent-over position requires greater spinal stiffness, which may make the bent-over dumbbell row a great accessory exercise for those training to improve their deadlift. (3)
Depending on your flexibility, the bent-over dumbbell row may also provide the bonus effect of a mild hamstring stretch.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Closely related to the bent-over dumbbell row, the single-arm dumbbell row allows you to adopt a large stance and brace your off-side arm on your leg.
Tasked with managing only one dumbbell at a time, you can focus attention on the target muscles including the lats, teres major, rhomboids, middle trapezius, and posterior deltoids (upper back muscles). Focusing on the mind-muscle connection has been shown to be helpful for engaging the lats. (4)
How to Do the Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Begin with one dumbbell on the floor. Take a staggered stance with your front foot next to the dumbbell. Your working arm will be opposite your front foot — left foot forward with your right arm working, and vice versa.
Lean forward and brace your non-working forearm on your front thigh. Grab the dumbbell with your working arm and row the dumbbell toward your back hip. Maintain a neutral grip with your palm facing your front leg. Lower the weight to a full stretch, nearly reaching ankle-level.
Benefits of the Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Rowing one arm at a time with your off-side forearm supported on your thigh helps lock in good form by discouraging hip extension.
Unilateral (single-arm) rowing with off-side support is easier on the low back. It reduces lumbar erector muscle activity and likely decreases extension forces and shear forces experienced by the low back. (5)
Dead-Stop Dumbbell Row
Think of the dead-stop dumbbell row as a relative of the barbell-based Pendlay row. Like its more popular sibling, each repetition is performed from the floor, which builds raw strength at long muscle lengths.
And like the Pendlay row and the bent-over dumbbell row, discussed above, the exercise requires deep hip flexion and adequate hamstring flexibility. But unlike the bent-over dumbbell row, which can tax the lumbar region, the dead-stop dumbbell row offloads the low back between each repetition while the weight is reset on the ground.
How to Do the Dead-Stop Dumbbell Row
Stand with two dumbbells slightly outside of your toes. Assume a deep hip hinge position, bent at the waist, with your back as straight as possible.
Grab the dumbbells and row them alongside your thighs toward your ribs. Lower both weights to the ground and allow a “dead-stop” on the floor between repetitions. Pause momentarily to unload the weights, without loosening your grip, before initiating the next rep.
Benefits of the Dead-Stop Dumbbell Row
Because the dead-stop dumbbell row begins and ends in a stationary position on the floor, it interrupts the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) and eliminates the stretch reflex. This decreases momentum and increases muscle recruitment.
The dead-stop makes the movement more strict by dissuading the use of passive recoil from muscles and other connective tissues. This makes the exercise more challenging and will help you to build starting strength, or strength off the floor.
As a bonus, dead-stop exercises are often extremely joint- and tendon- friendly, likely due to more gradual loading rates and lower absolute loads required for a training effect.
Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullover
A hallmark of the “Golden era” of bodybuilding, the pullover has seen cycles of popularity and disuse. Along with straight-arm cable pulldowns, the pullover is a rare “isolation exercise” targeting the latissimus dorsi.
The lats are capable of moving the shoulder through a very long range of movement. (6) While rows train the lats through a significant part of the extension range of motion, the cross-bench dumbbell pullover trains shoulder extension from end-range (overhead position).
Peak resistance in the pullover is encountered when your arms are fully overhead, parallel to the ground. That’s when the latissimus dorsi muscle fibers are at their longest length. Training the lats at long muscle lengths is beneficial for building muscle mass. (7)
How to Do the Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullover
Support your shoulder blades on a flat bench and bridge your hips to keep a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Begin with one dumbbell in both hands supported above your face. Lower the weight “overhead” behind you until you feel a strong stretch across your lats and chest.
Pull the weight back over your forehead. Stop before your arms are vertical to maintain tension, and repeat. Keep your elbows in a fixed, slightly bent position and turned slightly outward throughout the exercise.
Benefits of the Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullover
By keeping your elbows slightly bent and flared outwards throughout, you’ve locked yourself into a position where the dumbbell applies resistance to shoulder extension and internal rotation. Both are actions of latissimus dorsi, leading to increased muscle recruitment.
The cross-bench dumbbell pullover requires isometric contraction of the gluteus maximus. Not only will you get bonus “glute work,” but contraction of the glutes may actually enhance tension on the lats. Force transmission occurs between the glutes and lats via the thoracodorsal fascia, a sheet of connective tissue in the small of the back to which both muscles attach. (8)(9)
Kroc Row
Some exercises are good for going heavy and others are great for high repetition sets. The Kroc row is designed for both. Dust off the biggest dumbbell you can find and consider using a lifting strap. Aim for no less than 15 reps per set.
Although the Kroc row encourages a small amount of body English to move the weight and get the reps, be disciplined here. Excessive trunk extension or rotation recruits more muscles that are not the target of the exercise. To keep the focus on the lats, the majority of work must be done by the shoulder.
How to Do the Kroc Row
Setup similar to a single-arm dumbbell row, in a split stance with a dumbbell near your front foot. Brace your off-hand on a sturdy bench or on the end of a dumbbell rack — don’t be the person blocking a row of dumbbells, set up to the side of the rack.
Strap in to the dumbbell, brace hard with your off-hand, and accelerate the dumbbell up toward the outside of your lower lower ribs. A small amount of leg drive is acceptable. Lower under control and repeat for high reps.
Benefits of the Kroc Row
Although the Kroc row is decidedly a lat-building exercise, it allows hearty contribution from the upper traps. The recruitment of this powerful muscle allows you to move more weight for higher reps.
The Kroc row provides a unique opportunity for heavy loading and “controlled aggression” during your training. It’s the kind of exercise that makes you want to crank up the volume on your favorite lifting music.
Three-Point Dumbbell Row
The lats act primarily on the shoulder with minor contributions to trunk extension and rotation. (10) Emphasis on the word “minor.” If you are struggling with keeping true form or experiencing low back fatigue during the bent-over dumbbell row or other standing variations, then it’s time for a different variation. The three-point dumbbell row may be ideal.
It’s sometimes considered the “default” method of performing a dumbbell row. It’s more supportive than either the single-arm dumbbell row or Kroc row because it requires a large, stable base for moving serious weight with clean form.
How to Do the Three-Point Dumbbell Row
Begin with a dumbbell on the floor next to a flat bench. Place your off-side knee, shin, and palm on the flat bench. Set your other foot a comfortable distance from your hips and keep the foot flat on the floor.
Maintain a neutral spine position as you grab the dumbbell. Keep a neutral grip (palm facing your body) as you row the dumbbell toward the outside of your hip. Lower to a full stretch without touching the floor, and repeat for reps.
Benefits of the Three-Point Dumbbell Row
Compared to standing variations, the three-point dumbbell row takes significant tension off the low back and hamstrings.
You’ve unofficially claimed the bench as your designated recovery zone between hard sets. Push your sets hard enough and you’ll need it.
Bird Dog Row
The bird dog exercise is a common rehab and performance exercise that trains “rotary stability,” or the ability to recover from challenges that would tend to rotate your shoulder girdle, spine, or hips. (11) It’s performed on the ground in an “all fours” position with support from only one hand and the opposite leg.
Take this challenging position, move it on top of a flat bench, and add a row. Now, you have a dynamite exercise that integrates the lats and core.
How to Do the Bird Dog Row
Start with a light dumbbell (roughly 20-30% of what you’d use for a single-arm row) placed on top of a flat bench.
Setup with your working-side knee and off-side hand on the bench, and your off-side leg extended behind you. Brace your midsection and stabilize your entire body. Row the dumbbell with a neutral-grip to the outside of your lower ribs. Focus on preventing any rotation of your hips, pelvis, or spine as the weight moves.
Benefits of the Bird Dog Row
Unilateral dumbbell rows have shown greater muscle activity in the obliques than bilateral rows, cable rows, and machine rows. (5) This variation will hit the obliques even harder than other single-arm rows due to the narrow base of support. (11)
The bird dog row requires the lowest weight dumbbell to be challenging and effective, making it an appealing exercise for “light” or recovery workouts or periods of injury rehabilitation.
Bench-Supported Dumbbell Row
Although standing dumbbell row variations may look simple, they are notoriously subject to sloppy form. The bench-supported dumbbell row, sometimes called the chest-supported row, restricts the work to only your shoulders to better target the lats. (2) (10)
Because your lower body is essentially removed from the equation and the bench provides rock-solid stability, this is one of the most strict and muscle-focused row variations.
How to Do the Bench-Supported Dumbbell Row
Set an adjustable bench to 45-degrees. If you have long arms, you may need to elevate the bench to maintain the same angle. Using a higher incline will shift focus off the lats and onto the traps and upper back musculature.
Hold two dumbbells and lie chest-down on the bench. The weights should not reach the floor when hanging down straight. Row both dumbbells by pulling your elbows up and alongside the bench. Keep a neutral forearm orientation throughout the exercise.
Benefits of the Bench-Supported Dumbbell Row
The bench-supported dumbbell row eliminates the use of “body English” in the hips or trunk to cheat the weights up.
Bench-supported rowing has been shown to result in reduced low back muscle activity, which may be beneficial for those looking to spare the low back in training— say, to prepare for an imminent deadlift session — or to offload the low back in the case of injury. (2)
Dumbbell Prone Bench Pull
Although it often takes a backseat to the bench press, the bench pull is a hallmark of athletic training and testing. The reason? It’s a pure expression of horizontal pulling strength.
The dumbbell version of the bench pull, sometimes called a seal row, alleviates some of the difficulties associated with the barbell version. Most notably, the potential for a shortened range of motion when the barbell hits the underside of the bench.
If you do not have a dedicated bench pull/seal row station, you can easily assemble one with a flat bench and several plates or aerobic steps. However, make sure your setup is secure and at an appropriate height. To ensure a full range of motion, the bench must be high enough to avoid reaching the floor in the stretched position.
How to Do the Dumbbell Prone Bench Pull
Lie on your belly on top of the bench with a folded towel under your forehead to maintain proper neck alignment. Retrieve the dumbbells from beneath the bench by carefully leaning to each side and grabbing them.
Row both weights toward your lower ribs with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms and the dumbbells close to the bench, not angled away.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Prone Bench Pull
The prone position dissuades compensatory actions such as “shrugging” during the row, which could otherwise rob tension from the lats.
The setup provides support to the entire spine and head, significantly reducing strain on the spine. You might even find the stretched position comfortable for a moment.
Dumbbell Pull-Up Drop Set
The pull-up is not technically a dumbbell exercise, but I am including it here under the pretense that it can be loaded with a dumbbell. A cop-out? Probably, but the pull-up is too effective as a lat-builder to neglect.
It’s likely the latissimus dorsi is best trained at long muscle lengths. (7) Aside from the dumbbell pullover, which has a very small effective range of motion, no exercise on this list compares to the pull-up for the purpose of training the lats at long muscle lengths.
If you’re strong and can perform several bodyweight pull-ups with good technique, you can load the pull-up heavier by locking a dumbbell between your legs. If you’re up for a serious challenge, perform your dumbbell pull-ups with the drop set technique.
How to Do the Dumbbell Pull-Up Drop Set
Hold a relatively light dumbbell between your ankles, begin performing pull-ups with a neutral or, if available, rotating grip.
When you approach muscular fatigue and cannot perform another full repetition with good form, release the dumbbell on the floor and immediately continue to perform pull-ups until you approach muscular failure again.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Pull-Up Drop Set
Compared to hanging weights from a dip belt for your pull-ups, using a dumbbell is easier to quickly jettison during a drop set.
Pull-ups can be used to train shoulder extension by using a shoulder-width grip or adduction when using a wide grip. Both are actions of the latissimus dorsi, leading to increased muscle recruitment and growth stimulus.
The Latissimus Dorsi Muscles
All ten exercises on the list are effective for training the lats because they load or provide resistance to one or more of the actions of latissimus dorsi. The latissimus dorsi primarily acts to extend the shoulder, drawing your arm back toward your body as during rowing. (10)
Credit: RomarioIen / Shutterstock
The latissimus dorsi also adducts the shoulder, drawing your arm toward your midsection as during performance of a wide-grip pull-up or pullover. (10) Secondarily, the lats contribute to internal rotation of the shoulder. The lat muscles even contribute to low back extension and rotation, albeit, these contributions are small. (10)
Average gym-goers can simply plug one or more of the exercises into their training plan, perform their sets, then rest assured they’ve “hit their lats.” Bodybuilders and physique-minded lifters typically divide their back workouts upper body pulling into horizontal pulling and vertical pulling. Think of all the row variations on this list as horizontal pulls, while the pull-up and pullover are vertical pulling.
Due to the biomechanical differences between these movement patterns, it may be prudent to include at least one from each category during your weekly lifting routine.
How Often and How Much Should You Train Lats?
Start training your lats regularly and you’ll notice remarkable things. Clothes begin to fit better, your major compound lifts (like the squat, bench press, and deadlift) start feeling more secure, and you develop mind-muscle connection to the growing slabs of muscle on your flanks. But how often should you hit lats for optimal results? And how much attention should the lats receive?
While there is plenty of nuance to programming, a simple method to plan training frequency is to determine the target weekly total set volume for the muscle or muscle group. Then, work backwards by allocating those sets into your weekly workout split.
For already-fit individuals who want to build more muscle, experts recommend a minimum of 10 sets per muscle group per week is best. (12) More weekly sets (i.e. 20 or more) may offer additional benefits provided the lifter gradually builds to that volume over time. (12) If you are dead-set on improving your lats, a higher volume “specialization” program can be very effective, but again, that volume must be built gradually over time.
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Next, take your favorite lat exercises and allocate your target number of weekly sets to each exercise. For example, a moderately experienced lifter might aim for 14 sets per week targeting the lats. If this lifter prefers bent-over dumbbell rows, dumbbell prone bench pulls, and pull-ups, the allocation may be four sets of dumbbell rows, four sets on the prone bench, and six sets of pull-ups.
Now, if this lifter uses a push/pull/legs split and trains six days per week, those exercises can be distributed across the two separate pulling sessions. If the lifter trains with a whole body routine three days per week, the exercises can be distributed across all three workouts, one exercise per session.
Be thoughtful when you plan your lat training. For example, four sets of bent-over dumbbell rows might not be the best choice the day before or the day after a heavy deadlift session due to cumulative lower back strain.
How to Progress Your Lat Training
Intensity (weight) and volume (sets and reps) must be progressed for long-term gains. A simple strategy for progressing intensity is the “two- for two- rule.” Once you can hit two or more repetitions more than your repetition target in the final set for two consecutive workouts, it’s time to use a heavier dumbbell. (13) To progress volume, add one or two sets for each exercise each month.
However, these progression methods will not remain effective forever. After two or three months, or when your progress stalls, take a deload. Come back stronger and to a new program with subtle variations. Change up some of the lat exercises and start with a slightly lower set volume and higher intensity than your previous baseline.
How to Warm-up Your Lats
Complete a warm-up to prime your body for the dumbbell lat workout. Organize the warm-up in two parts: the general warm-up and the specific warm-up. Five minutes of cardio will suffice for the general warm-up. This activity serves to increase body temperature and promote general movement.
Although any form of light aerobic exercise works, an exercise that involves the upper body is preferable. Ideas include the rowing ergometer, ski ergometer, air bike, elliptical, or jump rope.
Credit: Dr. Merrick Lincoln
For the specific warm-up, start with the exercise that gives you the best connection with your lats — the movement that allows you to “feel” them most. This will vary from person to person based on your leverages, your experience, and your mind-muscle connection.
Complete two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions using dumbbells lighter than your working weight. Incrementally increase the resistance as you work through your warm-up. Depending on your level of strength, the pull-up might not be the best exercise to start with unless you have access to a pull-up assist machine or resistance bands to counterbalance your bodyweight.
Dumbbells Give You Wings
By surface area, the latissimus dorsi is the largest muscle of the body. (6) It’s not surprising that well-developed lats give your back the appearance of more size. Train them regularly and progressively, ideally while eating a slight calorie surplus, and you’ll notice wings of muscle filling in beside your ribcage. These “wings” won’t allow you to fly, but I suspect walking around with them will make you feel almost as good.
References
Lane, C. L., et al. (2019). Comparison of the firefighter candidate physical ability test to weight lifting exercises using electromyography. Work, 62(3), 459-467.
García-Jaén, M., et al. (2021). Electromyographical responses of the lumbar, dorsal and shoulder musculature during the bent-over row exercise: a comparison between standing and bench postures (a preliminary study). Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 21(4), 1871-1877.
Fenwick, C. M., et al. (2009). Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(5), 1408-1417.
Snyder, B. J., & Leech, J. R. (2009). Voluntary increase in latissimus dorsi muscle activity during the lat pull-down following expert instruction. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(8), 2204-2209.
Saeterbakken, A., et al. (2015). The effect of performing bi-and unilateral row exercises on core muscle activation. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 94(11), 900-905.
Gerling, M. E., & Brown, S. H. (2013). Architectural analysis and predicted functional capability of the human latissimus dorsi muscle. Journal of Anatomy, 223(2), 112-122.
Ottinger, C. R., et al. (2022). Muscle Hypertrophy Response to Range of Motion in Strength Training: A Novel Approach to Understanding the Findings. Strength & Conditioning Journal, Advance online publication. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000737
Santana, J. C., et al. (2015). Anterior and posterior serape: The rotational core. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 37(5), 8-13.
do Carmo Carvalhais, V. O., et al. (2013). Myofascial force transmission between the latissimus dorsi and gluteus maximus muscles: an in vivo experiment. Journal of Biomechanics, 46(5), 1003-1007.
Bogduk, N., et al. (1998). The morphology and biomechanics of latissimus dorsi. Clinical Biomechanics, 13(6), 377-385.
Clemente, P. C., et al. (2022). Perceived exertion, postural control, and muscle recruitment in three different quadruped exercises performed by healthy women. Frontiers in Physiology, 1630.
Schoenfeld, B., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1), 1-30.
Sheppard, J.M., & Triplett, N. (2016). Program design for resistance training. In: Haff, G., & Triplett N., (Eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th ed., pp. 459). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
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On Sept. 29, 2022, Browner captured a 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) raw traditional deadlift during a training session. He is the fourth known person to deadlift at least that much weight while on film. The 110-kilogram athlete used a sumo stance and overhand grip and wore a lifting belt and lifting straps to help with the historic pull.
The historic nature of Browner’s deadlift naturally drew the attention of more than a few figures in strength sports. Browner received notable variations of praise from people like two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion (2019, 2021) Russell Orhii, powerlifters Bobb Matthews and Ernie Lillibridge Jr., 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Laurence Shahlaei, and strongman Rob Kearney.
Browner’s deadlift also puts him in an exclusive club in strength sports. He joins three athletes who have pulled at least 500 kilograms on camera over the last several years.
The 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Eddie Hall was the first to deadlift at least that much weight when he set the mark as the strongman World Record at the 2016 World Deadlift Championships (WDC) in Leeds, England.
Roughly a year later, 2018 WSM winner Hafthor Björnsson extended the record when he deadlifted 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) during the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series. However, because Hall accomplished his deadlift at a sanctioned neutral competition while Björnsson did his at his personal gym in Reykjavik, Iceland, members of the strongman world still believe Hall holds the official World Record.
A few years later, in late April 2022, Polish athlete Krzysztof Wierzbicki became the first powerlifter ever to deadlift at least 500 kilograms when he pulled 502.5 kilograms (1,108 pounds) during a recorded training session. At the time of this writing, Wierzbicki’s deadlift is the heaviest-filmed known pull in history. Unlike Hall and Björnsson, Wierzbicki notched his pull without a deadlift suit. Because Wierzbicki used straps, it wouldn’t have counted in a sanctioned contest.
Browner follows Hall, Björnsson, and Wierzbicki as the fourth person to complete a traditional deadlift of at least 500 kilograms from the floor. He joins the Wierzbicki as the second person to do without the assistance of a suit. Likewise, Browner’s pull would not count in an official competition because of his use of straps.
Aside from breaking the World Record, the next significant deadlift achievement might be to see who can pull 500 kilograms without the use of straps. Browner, Wierzbicki, and their peer Danny Grigsby — the first powerlifter to capture a 1,000-plus pound raw deadlift in a full power meet — will undoubtedly all be huge factors in that race.
New York-based Grow Therapy, which offers mental health providers tools to help them start their private practice and be covered by insurance, has raised $75 million in Series B funding.
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WHAT THEY DO
Grow Therapy offers a technology platform providing mental health providers tools to set up in-person and virtual practices, connecting those needing treatment to those providing mental health care.
The company also works with payers — such as Humana, Aetna, Cigna, Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare — and develops deals where providers in its network are covered by insurance.
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“We are nothing but optimistic for a future where starting a private practice is seamless, and accessing high-quality mental healthcare is table-stakes,” Jake Cooper, CEO of Grow Therapy, said in a statement.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
In August, Alma, a company similar to Grow Therapy that also focuses on supporting mental health professionals in building their practices and setting up contracts, announced $130 million in a Series D funding round. The round came about a year after the company announced its $50 million Series C.
Quartet Health is another tech-backed company that matches patients and mental health professionals. In 2021, the company announced its acquisition of InnovaTel Telepsychiatry for an undisclosed sum, just days after announcing a $60 million funding round.
