Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Basics

Primary muscles worked: Latissimus Dorsi

Synergist Muscles: Biceps, Forearms

Mechanics: Compound

Equipment: High positioned cable tower with thigh supports and long bar attachment

How To Perform The Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

• Sit on the seat of the lat pulldown machine and set the thigh supports snugly against your thighs.
• Grip the longbar attachment with an overhand grip. Your hands should be spaced roughly 6-12 inches past shoulder width on each side depending on the length of the long bar and length of your arms.
• Once the correct grip is obtained, you will bring the bar below your chin by retracting your shoulder blades and bending at your elbows bringing them down to the side of the body.
• After the weight has been lowered below your chin, you must return the arms to full extension before completing the next rep.

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Tips

• A wider grip on the bar will allow you to focus more on working the lats and less on the biceps, while a more narrow grip will place more emphasis on bicep strength.
• Do not lean back when performing this exercise. Leaning back will cause your body weight to assist with the lift which reduces the total workload to the muscles.

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown and Sports Application

The wide grip lat pulldown is an excellent exercise for improving back strength.  By changing the grip to a wider hand placement, more stress is placed on the lats to pickup the workload.  This movement can most readily be seen in gymnastics during events such at the rings, uneven bars, and high bar.