Let’s face it. Everyone wants to know how to get a V taper, but most of the exercises prescribed to you by mainstream fitness sites aren’t cutting it.
That’s why today we’re going over some unusual exercises for a v taper. The helms row, cable pullover, neutral grip pulldown, tate press and lat pushdown are just a few.
All of these exercises are designed to help you pack on muscle to your upper body, even though they target different areas.
Of course, these exercises will only work if you have proper nutrition, take quality supplements like creatine and lift with intensity.
Helms Row
The helms row is a great exercise for a v taper. This is because it packs on width and muscle mass to your back, and even hits the biceps with a rowing motion.
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Helms Row Workout
The helms row workout should be added in during your back day. You should be hitting another group of muscles with your back, typically chest or biceps. Back and biceps would be great to do for a helms row workout because it is a compound exercise that hits both back and biceps.
You should do this workout for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps for maximum muscle grows. You could even go with higher volume if you’re a newbie and obtain higher newbie gains.
Helms Row Exercise
The helms row exercise is done with these steps:
- Position yourself with your feet shoulder width apart, holding a dumbbell (overhand grip)
- Hip hinge and keep your back straight
- Pull the dumbbell to your side and back, while imagining your lats pulling it
- Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position
- Repeat for both sides of your body
Here’s a youtube demonstration:
Helms Row Muscles Worked
What muscles does the helms row work? The helms row mainly works the following back muscles: lats, rhomboids (middle traps), and lower traps.
It also hits the biceps and forearms, along with stabilizing tendons in your shoulders. The helms row is a compound exercise that hits many different muscle groups at once, making it a great exercise to add in to your routine for a v taper.
Helms Row Alternative
If for some reason you can’t do the helms row, here are some helms row alternatives:
- Dumbbell rows
- Pull ups
- Seated cable rows
Maybe your gyms crowded, or just doesn’t have sufficient equipment for you to do this exercise. No matter. Dumbbell rows, pull ups and seated cable rows are all great helms row alternatives. They hit similar muscle groups as the helms row.
Cable Pullover
The cable pullover is a great exercise for a v taper. It primarily targets your upper back muscles, but also hits some of your chest and muscles.
Cable Pullover Exercise
The cable pullover exercise is done with these steps:
- Attach a bar to a cable machine, make sure the bar is as high as possible
- Face the cable machine with feet shoulder width apart, have a slight bend in your knees
- Grab the bar with both hands and make sure your arms are all the way extended
- Lower the bar towards your hips but keep your arms straight
- Pause at the bottom and go back to your starting position
- Repeat
Here’s a quick youtube tutorial of how to do the cable pullover exercise.
Cable Pullover Form
To have good cable pullover form, make sure that you hip hinge and keep your knees slightly bent. It helps to use lighter weight at first to get a feel for how the exercise is supposed to be done.
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Imagine yourself squeezing your lat muscles down while you do the cable pullover for muscle mind connection.
Cable Pullover Alternative
If you aren’t able to do the cable pullover, here are some cable pullover alternatives:
- Dumbbell pullover
- Barbell pullover
- Band pull aparts
Maybe all the cable machines are taken at your gym and you’re in a rush to finish. Or, maybe your gym doesn’t have cables. No matter. Go ahead and try one of these cable pullover alternatives: dumbbell pullovers, barbell pullovers, and band pull aparts. These all target the same muscles as the cable pullover.
Cable Pullover Muscles Worked
Speaking of targeting muscle groups, it’s time we talk about the cable pullover muscles worked.
The cable pullover is a compound exercise meaning that it hits many different muscle groups. These muscle groups are:
- lats
- pecs
- triceps
- rhomboids
By targeting these muscle groups, the cable pullover will help you build a v taper. Start with light weight so you can get a feel for how to do the cable pullover with proper form.
Neutral Grip Pulldown
The neutral grip pulldown is a great exercise for a v taper. This exercise hits the lats, rhomboids and lower traps. It is great for developing back thickness that will make you look like a prime Mike Tyson.
The exercise is performed using a cable machine and a neutral grip bar attachment, which allows for a more natural hand position and reduced stress on the shoulders.
Neutral Grip Pulldown Bar
The neutral grip pulldown bar is what makes this exercise different from all others. You should be using the neutral grip bar attachment. It looks just like the image above.
As you can see, the neutral grip bar has the handles parallel and straight to each other so that the lifter can grip it with his palms facing each other. A neutral grip pulldown bar helps target your lats and back in an unorthodox way.
Neutral Grip Pulldown Alternative
Here are the best neutral grip pulldown alternatives:
- Lat pulldowns
- Seated rows
- Chin ups
If all the cable machines are taken, or if the neutral grip bar is taken, you can quickly and easily substitute the neutral grip pulldown for one of these neutral grip pulldown alternatives. These alternatives: lat pulldowns, seated rows and chin ups, all target the same muscles as the neutral grip pulldown.
Neutral Grip Pulldown Muscles Worked
Neutral Grip Pulldown Muscles Worked: This exercise targets the Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Rhomboids, Biceps, and Trapezius, making an excellent exercise to help you develop a v taper.
Tate Press
The tate press (not to be confused with Andrew Tate) is a great exercise for growing your triceps. This will help you get a v taper by making your arms bigger. Fun fact, the triceps make up most of your arm.
Tate Press Dumbbell
The tate press dumbbell is the whole reason that your triceps are able to grow so much from this exercise. This is due to the fact that the dumbbell isolates your tricep completely, only focusing on growing that one muscle group.
Of course, make sure you do this for both arms. Tate press dumbells are just like any sort of regular dumbbells at your gym. There’s nothing special about them.
Tate Press Exercise
The tate press exercise should be executed with these following steps:
- Lie on a bench with dumbbells above your chest, arms extended, palms facing each other.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weight out to sides, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Straighten your arms and move the weights back to their starting position
- Repeat for sets and reps
When it comes to the tate press exercise, this must be done with perfect form. Your shoulders, tendons and joints are at risk here, so be sure and watch this youtube tutorial on how to do it.
Tate Press Workout
The tate press workout should go into your arm days, or whatever day you hit triceps. Let’s say that you use the Arnold split. On day 2 of the Arnold split, you target every muscle group in the arms. Shoulders, biceps and then triceps.
Due to the fact that the tate press is an isolated exercise, you should do it at the end of your tricep block. Do the tate press workout at the very end of your tricep group.
Tate Press Muscles Worked
Tate press muscles worked:
- Triceps
- Anterior deltoids
- Pecs
The thing about the tate press muscles worked is that the anterior deltoids and pecs are used so minimally that it is considered that this is an only tricep exercise.
Lat Pushdown
The lat pushdown is a great exercise for growing your back and triceps. This exercise is also known as the tricep pushdown. Do this exercise on a cable machine. Lat pushdowns are great for developing thickness in your back and arms.
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Funny enough, the lat pushdown doesn’t even really hit your back that much. It’s mainly a triceps exercise with a back secondary.
Lat Pushdown Alternative
If you can’t do the lat pushdown, here are some lat pushdown alternatives:
- Close grip bench press
- Skull crushers
- Overhead tricep extension
All of these lat pushdown alternatives will hit your triceps, but the closest alternative to the lat pushdown is the close grip bench. This is because that you also use some of your back muscles in the close grip bench.
Lat Pushdown vs Pulldown
When it comes to the lat pushdown vs pulldown, there’s some similarities and differences. Both target the lats (back muscle), but the lat pushdown primarily targets the triceps.
With the lat pulldown, you pull a bar down towards your torso. The pulldown you push away from you. Both exercises are very effective for strengthening your muscles in the arms and back.
Lat Pushdown Form
Here’s how to do the proper lat pushdown form:
- Stand in front of a cable machine with a high pulley and select a weight.
- Attach a bar or rope to the cable. If using a bar, grasp it with an overhand grip, palms facing down. If using a rope, grasp the ends with a neutral grip.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and keep your knees slightly bent.
- Start with your arms fully extended above your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Slowly lower the bar or rope down towards your hips, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- At the bottom of the movement, your arms should be fully extended.
- Hold for a moment and then slowly return to the starting position, keeping control of the weight at all times.
- Repeat
Lat Pushdown Muscles Worked
Lat pushdown muscles worked: triceps, shoulders, forearms, and upper back. The name lat pushdown is quite deceiving because the lat pushdown actually targets your triceps more than your back.
In addition, the lat pushdown muscles worked also includes a small bit of core. Not as much as hanging leg raises or deadlifts, but your core is slightly engaged while doing this exercise.
Summary:
To sum it up, the the helms row, cable pullover, neutral grip pulldown, tate press and lat pushdown are all great exercises to help you get a V taper.
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