Lat PullDown

Lat pulldown is a popular means of strengthening the back with shoulder and arm muscles. This exercise offers a variety of benefits for your muscles if performed properly, so consider adding it to your exercise plan. The main target of Lat PullDown is the latissimus dorsi muscles; for this reason, Lat pull owns are often referred to as lat pulldown, as “the lats” is the nickname for those muscle.

Also Known As: Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

Targeted Muscle: Lats (Latissimus Dorsi)

Other Muscles: Rear Deltoid (Deltoid, Posterior), Biceps (Brachialis), Middle Back (Middle Trapezius), Rhomboids

 Mechanics: Compound

Force: Pull

Instructions for doing Lat PullDown:

1. While standing, grasp the bar with an overhand grip at wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Holding the bar, sit down on the machine and lock your knees in knees pad. This should take the weight off the stack.
3. Sit with your back straight, eyes facing forward. This will be the starting position
4. Now without leaning back, slowly pull the bar down to your upper chest and breath out during this movement. Tip:Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pulldown the bar using the forearms
5. Pause a second at the contracted postion squeezing your shoulder blades together, and slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Do not let the weight touch the stack. Breathe in during this movement
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Tips:

• When you’re pulling down, focus on your lats pulling inwards as they go down. Imagine them pulling down in a semi-circle motion.
• If you find your forearms are burning out before you finish the set, grip with bar with a “hook” grip. This means you do not place your thumb around the bottom of the bar. A hook grip takes some of the strain off your forearms when performing pulling exercises.
• Focus on pulling the weight down with your back muscles and not your forearm. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pulldown the bar using the forearms.

Caution:

• It’s also common for some lifters to lean back and swing the weight down. This is cheating and will not get the maximum results from the lat pulldown. Keep sitting upright throughout the movement. This may get you an injury in lower back.

Variations:

• The behind the neck pulldown is a variation of this exercise but is not recommended as it can be hard on the rotator cuff due to the  hyperextension created by bringing the bar behind the neck..

Recommendation:

• Sets: 4
• Reps: 12, 12, 10, 10

Stay safe… Stay fit… Good Luck…

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