Lat Pulldown

Technique

Sit at the machine and grip the bar wider than shoulder-width with a pronated grip. Lean back slightly and pull the bar down to your upper chest, driving your elbows toward your hips. Squeeze the lats at the bottom. Return the bar slowly to the top under control.

Steps

1. Secure your thighs under the pad and plant your feet firmly
2. Grip the bar wider than shoulder-width with your palms facing forward
3. Lean back slightly and brace your torso
4. Pull the bar to your upper chest while driving your elbows toward your hips
5. Squeeze your lats at the bottom without shrugging
6. Extend your arms slowly to return the bar under control

Common mistakes

• Pulling the bar behind the neck
• Using excessive torso swing to move the weight
• Shrugging the shoulders instead of driving the elbows down
• Letting the weight stack pull the arms up uncontrollably

Variations

• Close-grip neutral-handle lat pulldown
• Underhand-grip lat pulldown
• Single-arm cable lat pulldown
• Wide-grip behind-the-neck lat pulldown

FAQ