Can't freakin do lat spread!?!?

[builtolast]

I've been trying to figure out how to do a lat spread for weeks, and can't get it right!!! Anyone else have this problem, and how did they fix it! I have a competition coming up (hopefully) in may, and I wanna AT LEAST be able to do the poses, let alone come there in shape! Know what i mean? Anyways, thanks guys, this is extremely frustrating. Along with this, what're some things that can compromise a lat spread? Scapula problems,etc.? whadya think?

 

[johnybiceps]

first of all, pull arms right back behind your back contracting your lats tightly.
Next, make a fist with hands leaving thumb out.
push hands/fists into the rear of your obliques above hips, thumb acting as a hook
once all is in place and back is fully contracted and arms unable to move back anyfurther
Slowly rotate elbows around pulling your back open, the further you pull arms around using thumbs to keep arms in place, the wider you can stretch your back. you can bend forward a little to increase overall stretch.
takes a little practice.

 

[michael_69er@hotmail.com]

take a huge breathe and suck all the air to the top of your chest......worked perfectly for me when i had trouble

 

[tyciol]

Does anyone know what muscle is responsible for doing this? I figure maybe the serratus anterior or pec minor or something like that? Like the muscle that would actually push the shoulder blades apart like that.

I kind of wish I had a longer clavicle so that when they went around my rib cage they would go out further.