Back / Beginner / Compound (multi-joint)

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

A cable exercise for the lats, with the biceps, upper back and rear delts assisting.

At a glance

Primary

Lats

Secondary

Biceps, Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps), Rear delts

Equipment

Cable station

Movement pattern

Vertical pull, Elbow flexion (curl)

Level

Beginner

Type

Back, Compound (multi-joint)

How to do it

1. Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
2. Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
3. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
4. As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. 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 pull down the bar using the forearms.
5. After a second at the contracted position squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Pulling the bar behind the neck.

  Why it hurts: The shoulder is forced into extreme external rotation and the neck juts forward, straining both.

  ✓ Instead: Pull to the upper chest with the chest lifted slightly to meet the bar.

• ✗ Leaning far back and yanking with the body.

  Why it hurts: The lower back takes the load and the lats barely work.

  ✓ Instead: Lean back only slightly and pull the elbows down toward the back pockets.

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