Lat Pulldown

Setup

1. Adjust the thigh pad so your legs are secure under it.
2. Select your desired weight on the stack.
3. Stand up and grasp the pulldown bar with an overhand, wide grip (just outside shoulder width).
4. Sit down, securing your thighs under the pad, maintaining a slight arch in your lower back.

How to perform the Lat Pulldown

1. Lean back slightly, keeping your chest up and shoulders down.
2. Initiate the movement by pulling the bar down towards your upper chest.
3. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and contracting your lats.
4. Pull until the bar lightly touches your upper chest or collarbone.
5. Slowly control the bar back up to the starting position, allowing your lats to stretch.
6. Avoid letting the weight stack crash at the top.

Trainer form cues

• Maintain a slight lean back throughout the movement.
• Keep your chest up and shoulders down, away from your ears.
• Focus on pulling with your elbows, not just your hands.
• Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement.
• Control the eccentric (upward) phase to maximize muscle engagement.

Common mistakes

• Using too much weight: Reduces range of motion and form, use a weight you can control.
• Excessive leaning back/swinging: Primarily uses momentum rather than muscle, stay stable.
• Shrugging shoulders: Takes tension off the lats; keep shoulders down.
• Not fully extending the arms: Limits the stretch on the lats; allow a full stretch.
• Pulling to the stomach: Shifts focus to different muscles; pull to upper chest.

Muscles worked

Primary: Lats

Secondary: Biceps, Rhomboids, Traps

Recommended rep ranges

Breathing and tempo

Breathing: Exhale as you pull the bar down, and inhale as you slowly return it to the starting position.

Tempo: 2-0-2-1 (2 seconds down, 0 second hold, 2 seconds up, 1 second stretch)

Lat Pulldown FAQs