Scapular Retraction: Why you should work the lats

This world class powerlifter, Andy Bolton, gives tips on how to enhance and strengthen scapular retraction while you bench press.







The point of scapular retraction is it's a rubber band mechanism that you load up with tension by pulling your shoulders behind you and then release while you bench press the bar away from your body.  Working the lats helps with this process. 

Bolton in the first couple minutes goes through a lat row movement on a machine that directly mimics the concentric phase of the bench press, aka the lowering of the bar to the chest.  Notice the detail in which he makes sure the handles are pulled to right below the pecs, the exact same place he puts the bar on his chest when bench pressing. 

Any lat row movement you do should mimic that concentric phase.  It will help with activating that rubber band mechanism along your front deltoids and help increase your bench press when you shoot your shoulders in front of you.  However, mind you it's only good for 1 rep maxes because it will take you out of position to do any reps in a chest pressing set.