Best Lat Pulldown Workouts & Exercises

It targets the Latissimus Dorsi or Lats for back width. However, depending on the grip, it also heavily involves the Teres Major, Rear Delts, Rhomboids, and Biceps. It is essentially a seated pull-up, allowing you to train the vertical pulling motion with less than your body weight.

Initiate the movement by depressing your shoulder blades or pulling them down, not by bending your arms. Lean back slightly to allow the bar to clear your face, and pull the bar to your upper chest or collarbone. Never pull the bar behind your neck as this is dangerous for the rotator cuff.

A wide, overhand grip generally targets the upper, outer lats giving you the V-taper. A close, neutral grip where palms face each other shifts the focus to the lower lats and allows for a greater range of motion and biceps contribution, often allowing you to pull heavier weight.

Yes, you can use straps for lat pulldowns when your grip starts failing, allowing you to fully fatigue your back muscles instead of your forearms. You shouldn't rely on them for every set, however, as you still need to build natural grip strength.

Vertical pulling is less taxing on the CNS than heavy rowing or deadlifting. You can effectively perform lat pulldowns two to three times per week. Varying the attachments like MagGrips, Ropes, or V-Bars in each session ensures you hit the back fibers from different angles.