Lat Pulldown Variations For Serious Back Development
Lat Pulldown Variations For Serious Back Development

Build your lats in a variety of ways with these 6 lat pulldown variations! Read the articles, find the ones that fit  your program and strengthen your back! 

 Lat pulldown is an exercise that can sometimes be overlooked when training the back. This is because pull-ups are considered the most effective version as well as the most “hardcore” movement. 

 Lat pulldowns are also sometimes frowned upon because they are an alternative to pull-ups for people who don't know how to do them.However, you should not ignore this classic movement of the machine. What makes the ultimate dropdown a great choice is that there are several ways to incorporate it into your routine. In fact, there are seven versions here that you can try for yourself. 

 Although it may be “easier” than bodyweight, this is still a very effective move to help you warm up your back before a serious workout. You can also use it  as a finishing move when you really want to tire out your lats, and yes, even use it as one of your main movements for the  day.

Find ways to incorporate them into your plan, as this will lead to benefits you may have missed out on. 

 1. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 

 This is the style that everyone thinks of when they think of lat pulldowns. Unfortunately, the other thought associated with the wide-grip side pulldown is the image of someone lowering the weight  and swinging their body for the sole purpose of moving the weight pinned onto the stack. 

 If you actually maintain  proper form and avoid jerky movements, you can train your lats, posterior deltoids, and all muscle in the upper middle  back.Make sure your grip is slightly wider than shoulder width and that you can maintain a good grip on the handle. An angled handle is easier to use on the wrist, but if you only have a straight bar, use that. 

 Make sure when doing pull-ups, you first bring your shoulder blades together. This signal can help you activate your lat better. In fact, do it with every version offered here.Also maintain a slight elbow bend  throughout the  movement. No need to lock your elbows here.

2. Close Grip Pulldown 

 Close Grip Pulldown is the one  you should choose if you want to focus more on isolating the latches. A tighter grip will keep the arms more vertical, placing them in the best position when lat-only. 

 You should try to stand as straight as possible when doing this exercise. Make sure you feel a deep stretch in the upper body, but don't try to stretch too much or risk injury.Also think of your hands as hooks. Don't try to pull with your arms. Consider pulling with your lats only. Your elbows should go down as far as possible. 

 Now, you're probably considering doing this with that "v" handle, right?That's a good thing, but this is an advanced tip. Use triceps straps. Pulling with the ends allows you to separate your hands at the bottom and having an extra inch or two  can really improve the contraction.

3. Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown 

 This move will hit the entire back, but it will hit  the upper pins more when done correctly. The grip has handles spaced shoulder-width apart, and  your hands will be in a hammer shape with your palms facing each other. 

 You can  lean lightly on it if you want to work more on the muscles in the middle of your upper back, such as the medial traps and teres major. Don't let this be an excuse for jerky movements. This won't help you develop your back; It's just  ego that you shouldn't work on. 

 4. Reverse Grip Side Pulldowns 

 Reverse Grip Side Pulldowns tax the biceps and there is no real way to avoid this. You can minimize it by using straps if you want. The biggest advantage of this  is that it will explode your lower body. The handle doesn't need to be too wide. If you can comfortably go about an inch wider than shoulder width, there's no problem. When pulling down, remember to try to pull your chest out as high as possible. Also hold the contraction in the lower part for a second or two, as that is what will really maximize the benefits to that area. This is key to making the bucket appear larger overall.

5. Kneeling Lat Pulldown 

 So all of these movements require you to sit. So what is a side kneeling pulldown? This can be any version of the above exercises you want to do – except you'll kneel behind a chair or in front of an independent cable pulley. 

 Doing so will increase the range of motion, making already effective movements even more effective.You also need to control your body more and stabilize yourself, which is a bigger challenge. Taller people can also benefit from this kneeling move when they are too tall for good posture.

 one-arm dumbbell or cable deadlift provides similar benefits to the dumbbell deadlift because the side you are working on does not receive any help from the other side of the body. In fact, working each side  with cables is better than with dumbbells because the cables create constant tension from start to finish. This means they don't get to take breaks, increasing your chances of getting results. 
 
 
 Using a single pulley and handle, position the body so that the working side is in line with the cable. As you pull down, make sure to get that handle  as far out as possible. When you release the grip, take another second or two to feel this tension. This will open up the fascia lata which is the thin layer of skin around the muscle fibers. This will help you improve the pump you get with each set.Once you've done the first side, switch to the other side and repeat for the same number of repetitions. You should start on the weaker side of your back  so you can focus the most energy there.

6. Straight Arm Side Pulldowns 

 Not all pulldowns should be done from a sitting or kneeling position. Standing pull-ups can be a great alternative to weight machines or pull-ups. This movement has a similar effect on the lats. 
 
 Using a straight handle will help you move more weight and incorporate more  traps. However, the range of motion can be limited because once you touch your body with the handle,  you won't be able to go any further.Using a rope can alleviate this problem. Pulling down and separating the ends of the rope can help increase  range of motion and achieve greater contraction. Better yet, you can put two ropes on a pulley and pull both ropes to their longest length. 
 
 One more way to make this  more efficient. When lowering the weight, slowly bring your hips back.This will help you enable slightly lower latitudes. Pull your hips back as the handle raises to feel an up-and-down pull. 
 
 Finally, you can choose a one-arm version of this exercise. Hold  the cable  and position yourself so you can pull in a straight line. Make sure you stand far enough back so you don't touch the pile with the pinned weight.