The close-grip lat pulldown is a again train that primarily trains the latissimus dorsi, or “lats.”
You carry out it on a lat pulldown machine utilizing a V-bar attachment, which permits for a slender hand place and impartial grip (palms going through one another). It’s extremely efficient for constructing again muscle and power, simple to be taught, and ideal for these with decrease again points.
On this professional information, you’ll be taught correct close-grip lat pulldown kind, the advantages of the close-grip lat pulldown, widespread errors to keep away from, one of the best variations and alternate options to include into your exercise routine, and extra.
The right way to Do the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
To carry out the close-grip lat pulldown, observe these steps:
1. Arrange
Connect a V-bar to the lat pulldown machine pulley, and choose an acceptable weight that permits you to keep correct kind and vary of movement all through the train.
Sit on the lat pulldown machine seat and regulate the knee pad in order that it locks your decrease physique in place, then slide your thighs out, rise up, and seize the V-bar with each palms.
Whereas retaining your grip on the bar and your arms straight, sit down, permitting your physique weight to drag the bar down with you. Nudge your thighs underneath the knee pads and plant your toes flat on the ground.
2. Pull
Sit along with your chest proud and barely arch your decrease again to assist have interaction your lats.
With out whipping your torso backward, pull the deal with towards your chest till it’s beneath your chin (or touches your chest if you wish to make the train tougher). As you pull the bar down, squeeze your shoulder blades collectively and pull them down.
An excellent “cue” is to think about pulling your elbows into the ground.
3. Ascend
Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place. This mirrors what you probably did throughout the pull.
Right here’s the way it ought to look whenever you put all of it collectively:
Advantages of the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
Let’s discover a few of the key benefits of the close-grip lat pulldown.
Full Again Coaching
The close-grip lat pulldown is a wonderful train for coaching virtually all of the muscle tissue of the again, together with the lats, rhomboids, mid-traps, and rear deltoids.
Coaching these muscle teams concurrently is good for gaining balanced dimension and power on the again of your physique.
It additionally trains the biceps, shoulders, forearms, triceps, pecs, and abs to a lesser diploma.
Simple to Be taught for Newcomers
When most lifters consider “vertical pulling” workout routines (workout routines that contain pulling one thing from above your head towards your physique), they consider pull ups and chin ups.
Whereas these are glorious again workout routines, they are often tough for learners or those that are obese since they might not have the power to carry out a single rep.
The close-grip lat pulldown is a helpful workaround as a result of it really works related muscle tissue however permits you to regulate the load and steadily construct power.
Diminished Decrease Again Stress
The close-grip pulldown minimizes the pressure on the decrease again, enhancing general consolation throughout the train.
In contrast to workout routines corresponding to bent-over rows, which stress your backbone whereas bent over, the close-grip lat pulldown permits you to keep an upright posture, decreasing decrease again discomfort.
Improved Posture
Strengthening your again muscle tissue with workout routines such because the close-grip pulldown helps to enhance posture by strengthening the muscle tissue that preserve your shoulders again, stopping extreme higher again rounding.
Frequent Errors to Keep away from in Shut Grip Lat Pulldown
Whereas the close-grip lat pulldown is an efficient train, it’s essential to concentrate on widespread errors that may hinder your progress and enhance the danger of damage. Listed below are some widespread errors to keep away from:
Utilizing Momentum
Producing momentum by “whipping” your higher physique backward as you pull the load lowers again engagement and shifts the emphasis onto different muscle teams, which is a foul factor if growing your again is your prime precedence.
Keep away from this by retaining your again stationary, sustaining upper-body tightness, and core stability all through the vary of movement.
Pulling Too Low
Bringing the bar beneath your higher chest can pressure your shoulder joint and cut back the train’s effectiveness. Persist with the proper vary of movement, decreasing the bar to beneath your chin or in order that it touches your higher pecs. This engages your again muscle tissue correctly and prevents shoulder discomfort.
Pulling with Your Biceps
It’s simple to rely an excessive amount of in your biceps as an alternative of your again when performing the close-grip pulldown. Nevertheless, doing so robs you of muscle and power achieve within the goal muscle tissue.
To reduce biceps engagement, think about pulling your elbows into the ground. This maximizes how a lot your lats contribute whereas lessening biceps involvement.
The Greatest Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown Variations and Alternate options
Whereas the close-grip lat pulldown is an efficient train, incorporating variations and alternate options can add selection to your exercise routine and goal the muscle tissue of the again in several methods. Listed below are a few of the finest close-grip lat pulldown variations and alternate options:
1. One-Arm Lat Pulldown
The one-arm lat pulldown is a superb variation that focuses on one facet of the physique at a time, serving to you discover and repair muscle imbalances.
To carry out the one-arm lat pulldown, connect a D-handle to the highest pulley of the lat pulldown machine. Seize the deal with with one hand and pull it towards your chest, mimicking the movement of the standard lat pulldown.
This train additionally engages the core muscle tissue, notably the obliques, as they assist stabilize the physique throughout the motion.
2. Impartial-Grip Pullups
Impartial-grip pullups are a superb different to the close-grip lat pulldown, focusing on the identical muscle tissue however with out the necessity for a lat pulldown machine. You possibly can carry out this variation utilizing a set of parallel bars or a neutral-grip pull-up bar.
3. Lat Pulldown
The common lat pulldown trains your again equally to the close-grip lat pulldown, although it might be barely higher at coaching the lats and fewer efficient at focusing on the rear delts.
4. Cable Row
The cable row is a wonderful different to the shut grip lat pulldown that entails utilizing a impartial grip to drag a weight horizontally towards your midsection whereas retaining your elbows near your sides. Equally to the close-grip pulldown, the cable row trains your mid again to a excessive diploma, particularly your lats.
5. One-Arm Dumbbell Row
The one-arm dumbbell row is one other nice different to the close-grip lat pulldown, coaching all of the muscle tissue of the center again, notably the lats, traps, and rhomboids. To carry out the train, maintain a dumbbell in a single hand, place the other knee and hand on a bench for help, and row the dumbbell to your facet whereas retaining your again straight.
A big benefit of the one-arm dumbbell row is that it requires little gear, making it a helpful different for many who don’t have entry to a lat pulldown machine.
Muscle groups Labored By the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
Right here’s a diagram of the primary muscle tissue labored by the shut grip lat pulldown:
Units and Reps for the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
The close-grip pulldown entails a number of main muscle teams concurrently, so you need to use heavier hundreds with out compromising security, supplied you utilize good kind.
Doing 3 units of 4-to-6 or 6-to-8 reps works effectively for many males, whereas 3 units of 6-to-8 or 8-to-10 reps is extra becoming for ladies.
FAQ #1: What’s the distinction between huge and close-grip lat pull downs?
The wide-grip pulldown is a little bit higher at coaching your lats, and the close-grip pulldown is marginally higher at coaching your rear delts. The close-grip variation additionally trains the pecs and triceps greater than the huge grip model, although neither is a “chest” or “triceps” train.
Nevertheless, these variations are so minor that they possible have little impact on long-term muscle progress.
FAQ #2: Which grip is finest for the lat pulldown?
There’s no such factor because the “finest” grip for the lat pulldown. One of the best answer for most individuals is to periodically experiment with grip widths and orientations.
Doing so possible causes extra balanced and full progress than utilizing only one or two grips, and it might assist you to keep away from repetitive pressure accidents, which may happen whenever you do the identical train for lengthy intervals.
FAQ #3: Will lat pull-downs assist with my pull-ups?
Sure, lat pulldown workout routines can assist enhance your pull-up power.
Lat pulldowns goal the identical muscle tissue utilized in pull-ups, such because the lats and biceps. By strengthening these muscle tissue by lat pulldown workout routines, you’ll be able to improve your capacity to carry out pull-ups.
That stated, power is “particular.” In different phrases, one of the best ways to get higher at pull-ups is to do pull-ups.
+ Scientific References
- Signorile, Joseph F., et al. “A Comparative Electromyographical Investigation of Muscle Utilization Patterns Utilizing Varied Hand Positions throughout the Lat Pull-Down.” Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis, vol. 16, no. 4, 1 Nov. 2002, pp. 539–546, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12423182/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
- Handa, Tohru , et al. Comparative Electromyographical Investigation of the Biceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, and Trapezius Muscle groups throughout 5 Pull Workouts. Apr. 2005, https://doi.org/10.7600/jspfsm.54.159.
- Barakat, Christopher, et al. “The Results of Various Glenohumeral Joint Angle on Acute Quantity Load, Muscle Activation, Swelling, and Echo-Depth on the Biceps Brachii in Resistance-Educated People.” Sports activities, vol. 7, no. 9, 4 Sept. 2019, p. 204, https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7090204.
- Costa, Bruna Daniella de Vasconcelos, et al. “Does Performing Totally different Resistance Workouts for the Identical Muscle Group Induce Non-Homogeneous Hypertrophy?” Worldwide Journal of Sports activities Medication, vol. 42, no. 09, 13 Jan. 2021, pp. 803–811, https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1308-3674.
- Stone, Michael H., et al. “Coaching Specificity for Athletes: Emphasis on Power-Energy Coaching: A Narrative Overview.” Journal of Practical Morphology and Kinesiology, vol. 7, no. 4, 16 Nov. 2022, p. 102, mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/jfmk/jfmk-07-00102/article_deploy/jfmk-07-00102.pdf?model=1668586112, https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk7040102.