Michelangelo's David, that well-built but under-endowed bloke with the curly hair has been around for a while.

Considering his age, he still looks good. We have to assume it was cold when Michelangelo sculpted him. Apart from that, he has the dimensions most women find attractive: probably taller than average, but not basketball-player tall, well proportioned and toned.

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A while ago we wrote about a few ways to get yourself young David's V-shaped torso, in which we discuss the lat pull-down machine. Here are a few more ways to pile on muscle, plus some ways to avoid injury.

Getting the V-shaped look
If you want that V-shaped look, you need a broad, strong back. To get that, you need to target two of the biggest muscles in your body. When it comes to surface area, few muscles have a larger surface area than the latissmus dorsi – called the lats – and the trapezius, called the traps. They’re big, powerful sheets of muscle. Isolating them can be tricky, because they work in conjunction with other muscles, like your biceps. But boy, when you work them properly the results are outstanding.

The latissmus dorsi is a thick, wide set of muscles that runs in a fan shape from the top of your humerus (the bone in your upper arm) to your lower spine and pelvis. You use it whenever you move your arm.

The trapezius
The trapezius is triangular and starts at the base of your spine. It’s attached to the back of your shoulder-blade (scapula) and your clavicle (collar bone). It helps you turn your head and also helps with things like shrugging (“sorry, Officer. I really thought this was a 120km/h zone.”) and something called scapular adduction, which happens when you pull your shoulder-blades together.

It’s all an intricate, wonderfully balanced system that allows freedom of movement, speed, endurance, balance and tremendous strength. Consider that hurling a spear, swimming for hours and throwing a dart accurately all happen with the same muscles.

Now, how do you develop these muscles so that they’re attractive as well as functional?

Let’s start with pull-ups:

• If all you do is this one exercise, you’ll have given your lats something to think about. Grab a chin-up bar with your hands just more than shoulder-width apart and your palms facing away from you. Hang loosely, then pull yourself up until your chest nearly touches the bar. Remember that the slower you raise and lower yourself, the more of a workout the muscles get. Some fitness instructors recommend that if you can do more than five pull-ups you should wear a dipping belt with a weight hung from it. If you’re starting out or are only reasonably fit, concentrate on getting your moves right first.
• Bent row: Put two dumbbells on the floor in front of you. Stand with your feet apart and bend over until your spine is nearly parallel with the floor. Keep your back straight by sticking your butt out and bending your knees slightly. Now grab the dumbbells and lift them, keeping your elbows close to your sides. Lift the weights until your elbows are completely bent, then lower them.
• One-armed row: Stand parallel to an exercise bench and put your right knee and right hand on it, so you’re half-kneeling on it. Reach down with your left hand and grab a dumbbell from the floor. Keep your elbow close to your side and lift it slowly. As you lower the dumbbell again, rotate your wrist gently, moving the weight through 180 degrees. This puts a load on more muscle fibres than a straight up-and-down. Do three sets of 10 or to failure.
• Now, finally, you’re ready for the ultimate upper-back move. Take a swig of water from your squeezy bottle, dry your hands and settle down at the lat pull-down apparatus. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, legs angled slightly outwards to keep you balanced. Grip the bar with your thumbs over it and your hands a bit further than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and pull the bar down to your chest. Don’t pull it behind your head. Relax your neck and wrists or you’ll stress them and not the muscles you’re targeting. Cocking your elbows slightly backwards helps the latissmus dorsi and the trapezius get a workout. Keep the move smooth and slow. Do three sets of 10 or to failure.

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