Exercise Tutorial: Lat Pulldown
Table of Contents
What Is a Lat Pulldown
The Lat Pulldown is an exercise that aims to develop strength in the Latissimus Dorsi. The Latissimus Dorsi is a very broad muscle that spans from the mid to lower back. It is important to develop and maintain strength in your back to protect the spine, decrease the risk of injury, maintain good posture and carry out activities of daily living with ease.
How to Do a Lat Pulldown
Performing the Lat Pulldown is an easy movement to remember and master. To learn how to do a Lat Pulldown, follow these steps below.
Have a seat in the Lat Pulldown machine with your feet flat on the floor. Adjust the knee pads if you need to. Make sure that there is a Lat Pulldown bar attached to the machine and select your desired weight.
Place your hands on the bar using an overhand grip. Your hands should further than shoulder-width apart, or in a wide grip. Keep you back straight and your torso upright. This is the starting position.
When you are ready, brace the core and pull down the bar to about chin height while squeezing the shoulder blades together. Your elbows will come down to your sides but not move backwards. Pause for a moment in the lowest position and then slowly return the bar to the starting position. Repeat the movement for the required reps and sets.
The Lat Pulldown has many variations and grips. You can consider this to be the standard way of performing the Lat Pulldown.
Lat Pulldown Form
Even though the Lat Pulldown seems like a simple movement, there are some key points to follow that will make all the difference in your workout! To have proper Lat Pulldown form, follow these tips,
Keep your feet flat on the floor
Keep the shoulders down and back
Maintain a neutral spine
Make sure the knees are snug under the machine
Do not pull with the forearms
Do not pull the bar down too far
Do not swing the body to create momentum
Your elbows should point towards the floor
Lat Pulldown Benefits
The main benefit of the Lat Pulldown is that it strengthens the Latissimus Dorsi. This is important for posture, increasing the stability of the spine and reducing injury. Another benefit of the Lat Pulldown is aesthetically it can help to build a V-shape in the back.
Lat Pulldown Muscles Worked
The primary muscle worked during the Lat Pulldown is the Latissimus Dorsi. Additional Lat Pulldown muscles worked include,
Why Is The Lat Pulldown Useful
The Lat Pulldown is useful because this exercise isolates the muscles in the back without the Biceps Brachii or Triceps Brachii getting tired first. As previously mentioned, having strong back muscles is important for many movements in our everyday life, especially as we age.
Lat Pulldown Variations
As you can see, the Lat Pulldown has many different variations and can involve the use of different attachments. We suggest trying them all to see which variations suit you the best. If anything, these different Lat Pulldown variations will provide variety in your exercise routine! You are sure to find a Lat Pulldown variation that best suits your needs! Check the list of Lat Pulldown variations below:
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
Standing Lat Pulldown
Cable Lat Pulldown
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
Underhand Lat Pulldown
Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown
Supinated Lat Pulldown
V Bar Lat Pulldown
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
The Wide Grip Lat Pulldown is a variation of the Lat Pulldown that uses a wider than normal grip. Your hands will be farther than shoulder-width apart and you will use an overhand grip. The Wide Grip Lat Pulldown will require more engagement of the Lats.
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
The Straight Arm Lat Pulldown is exactly as it sounds! You will be standing for this variation and your hips will be pushed back so the torso is about 30-45 degrees. Pull the bar down until it reaches the thigh and then let the bar rise just over the head. Your arms will remain straight throughout the entire movement!
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
The Close Grip Lat Pulldown features your hands much closer together. When performing the Close Grip Lat Pulldown, some individuals prefer to use an underhand grip than an overhand grip, but the choice is yours! Continue to perform the Lat Pulldown as described above.
Standing Lat Pulldown
The Standing Lat Pulldown occurs in a standing position. The name of this variation is often used interchangeably with the Straight Arm Lat Pulldown, and your arms will be straight throughout the entire movement.
Cable Lat Pulldown
The Cable Lat Pulldown is another term for the Lat Pulldown. The Lat Pulldown is performed on a cable machine.
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
The Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown is when the Lat Pulldown is performed with your palms facing the body and using an underhand grip. This variation will target the lower lats more than the overhand grip.
Underhand Lat Pulldown
The Underhand Lat Pulldown is another interchangeable term with the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown. This means that you are performing the Lat Pulldown with your palms facing the body.
Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown
A Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown is completed with a V-bar attachment. Your palms will be facing each other instead of forwards or towards the body. This variation will recruit the shoulders and the Biceps more.
Supinated Lat Pulldown
The Supinated Lat Pulldown is another term for the Underhand Lat Pulldown. This variation will also involve the Biceps more.
V Bar Lat Pulldown
The V-bar Lat Pulldown is synonymous with the Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown. This variation uses a V-bar to perform the Lat Pulldown instead of a Lat Bar.
Behind The Neck Lat Pulldown
The Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown is when the Lat Pulldown is completed behind the neck instead of in front of the body. You will begin in the same starting position but will pull the bar down behind your neck. This is also known as a Rear Pull Down. This variation places more stress on the shoulder joint and can cause pain.
Lat Pulldown Machine
The Lat Pulldown Machine is the piece of equipment that you perform the Lat Pulldown on. This is usually a stand alone machine with a bench, knee pad and a cable that comes down from the top of the machine.
Power Rack With Lat Pulldown
The Power Rack with Lat Pulldown refers to a squat rack that has a Lat Pulldown attachment.
Weight Bench With Lat Pulldown
A Weight Bench with Lat Pulldown refers to the Lat Pulldown attachments for a weight bench.
Lat Pulldown Attachments
Lat Pulldown Attachments are the type of bar that you attach to the Lat Pulldown machine. For instance, the Lat Pulldown bar, V-bar etc. A Lat Pulldown Attachment can also be the attachment of the machine itself to a weight bench or power rack.
Lat Pulldown Bar
A Lat Pulldown Bar refers to the type of attachment that is used for the Lat Pulldown. There are different types of Lat Pulldown bars such as D-Grip Lat Pulldown bars, conventional lat Pulldown Bars and the V-bar.
Lat Pulldown Alternative
There are a few Lat Pulldown Alternatives that you can perform that will also target the back. These Lat Pulldown Alternatives include,
