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 dealing with one another). It’s extremely efficient for constructing again muscle and energy, simple to be taught, and excellent for these with decrease again points.
On this professional information, you’ll be taught correct close-grip lat pulldown type, the advantages of the close-grip lat pulldown, widespread errors to keep away from, the most effective variations and options to include into your exercise routine, and extra.
Methods to Do the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
To carry out the close-grip lat pulldown, comply with these steps:
1. Arrange
Connect a V-bar to the lat pulldown machine pulley, and choose an acceptable weight that means that you can keep correct type and range of motion 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, arise, and seize the V-bar with each palms.
Whereas maintaining your grip on the bar and your arms straight, sit down, permitting your physique weight to tug the bar down with you. Nudge your thighs beneath the knee pads and plant your ft 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.
“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 through 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 among the key benefits of the close-grip lat pulldown.
Full Again Coaching
The close-grip lat pulldown is a superb train for training nearly all of the muscle groups of the again, together with the lats, rhomboids, mid-traps, and rear deltoids.
Coaching these muscle teams concurrently is good for gaining balanced measurement and energy on the again of your physique.
It additionally trains the biceps, shoulders, forearms, triceps, pecs, and abs to a lesser diploma.
Straightforward to Study for Newbies
When most lifters consider “vertical pulling” workouts (workouts that contain pulling one thing from above your head towards your physique), they consider pull ups and chin ups.
Whereas these are wonderful again workouts, they are often tough for beginners or those that are obese since they might not have the energy to carry out a single rep.
The close-grip lat pulldown is a helpful workaround as a result of it really works related muscle groups however means that you can regulate the burden and regularly construct energy.
Decreased Decrease Again Stress
The close-grip pulldown minimizes the pressure on the lower back, enhancing total consolation through the train.
In contrast to workouts akin to bent-over rows, which stress your backbone whereas bent over, the close-grip lat pulldown means that you can keep an upright posture, lowering decrease again discomfort.
Improved Posture
Strengthening your again muscle groups with workouts such because the close-grip pulldown helps to enhance posture by strengthening the muscle groups that hold 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 chance of injury. Listed below are some widespread errors to keep away from:
Utilizing Momentum
Producing momentum by “whipping” your higher physique backward as you pull the burden lowers again engagement and shifts the emphasis onto different muscle teams, which is a nasty factor if growing your again is your high precedence.
Keep away from this by maintaining your again stationary, sustaining upper-body tightness, and core stability all through the vary of movement.
Pulling Too Low
Bringing the bar under your higher chest can pressure your shoulder joint and cut back the train’s effectiveness. Persist with the right vary of movement, decreasing the bar to beneath your chin or in order that it touches your higher pecs. This engages your again muscle groups 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. Nonetheless, doing so robs you of muscle and energy acquire within the goal muscle groups.
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 options can add selection to your exercise routine and goal the muscle groups of the again in numerous methods. Listed below are among the greatest close-grip lat pulldown variations and options:
1. One-Arm Lat Pulldown
The one-arm lat pulldown is a superb variation that focuses on one aspect 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 normal lat pulldown.
This train additionally engages the core muscle groups, significantly the obliques, as they assist stabilize the physique through the motion.
2. Impartial-Grip Pullups
Impartial-grip pullups are a wonderful various to the close-grip lat pulldown, concentrating on the identical muscle groups 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 concentrating on the rear delts.
4. Cable Row
The cable row is a superb various to the shut grip lat pulldown that includes utilizing a impartial grip to tug a weight horizontally towards your midsection whereas maintaining 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 various to the close-grip lat pulldown, coaching all of the muscle groups of the center again, significantly 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 assist, and row the dumbbell to your aspect whereas maintaining your again straight.
A big benefit of the one-arm dumbbell row is that it requires little gear, making it a helpful various for individuals who don’t have entry to a lat pulldown machine.
Muscle tissues Labored By the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
Right here’s a diagram of the primary muscle groups labored by the shut grip lat pulldown:
Units and Reps for the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown
The close-grip pulldown includes a number of main muscle teams concurrently, so you should use heavier hundreds with out compromising security, supplied you employ good type.
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 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.
Nonetheless, these variations are so minor that they doubtless have little impact on long-term muscle development.
FAQ #2: Which grip is greatest for the lat pulldown?
There’s no such factor because the “greatest” grip for the lat pulldown. The perfect resolution for most individuals is to periodically experiment with grip widths and orientations.
Doing so likely causes extra balanced and full development 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 durations.
FAQ #3: Will lat pull-downs assist with my pull-ups?
Sure, lat pulldown workouts will help enhance your pull-up energy.
Lat pulldowns goal the identical muscle groups utilized in pull-ups, such because the lats and biceps. By strengthening these muscle groups by way of lat pulldown workouts, you possibly can improve your capacity to carry out pull-ups.
That stated, energy is “particular.” In different phrases, the easiest way 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 Using Various Hand Positions during the Lat Pull-Down.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 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 Muscles during Five Pull Exercises. Apr. 2005, https://doi.org/10.7600/jspfsm.54.159.
- Barakat, Christopher, et al. “The Effects of Varying Glenohumeral Joint Angle on Acute Volume Load, Muscle Activation, Swelling, and Echo-Intensity on the Biceps Brachii in Resistance-Trained Individuals.” Sports, vol. 7, no. 9, 4 Sept. 2019, p. 204, https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7090204.
- Costa, Bruna Daniella de Vasconcelos, et al. “Does Performing Different Resistance Exercises for the Same Muscle Group Induce Non-Homogeneous Hypertrophy?” International Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 42, no. 09, 13 Jan. 2021, pp. 803–811, https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1308-3674.
- Stone, Michael H., et al. “Training Specificity for Athletes: Emphasis on Strength-Power Training: A Narrative Review.” Journal of Functional 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?version=1668586112, https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk7040102.