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Lat Pulldown

Difficulty: Beginnerpull
👆 Tutorial by Mind Pump TVWatch on YouTube

Home Setup

Anchor resistance band overhead to door frame or sturdy beam

Resistance bandDoor anchorSturdy overhead beam

💡 Pro tip: Use a towel over a pull-up bar and pull down while kneeling for similar movement

Gym Setup

Lat pulldown machine with adjustable weight stack

Safety: Secure thighs under pad, avoid jerking motion, control the weight on return

💪 Muscles Worked

Latissimus DorsiTeres MajorRhomboidsRear DeltoidsBiceps BrachiiTrapezius

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The lat pulldown is a foundational back-building exercise that allows for controlled development of back width and the V-taper physique. It provides adjustable resistance for progressive overload while being more accessible than pull-ups, making it ideal for building the mind-muscle connection with the lats and achieving high training volume for hypertrophy.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Assisted Lat Pulldown

assisted pull-up machine

Machine assistance reduces load

2. Band Pulldown

resistance bands

Lighter resistance easier to control

3. Straight Arm Pulldown

cable machine

Isolates lats with lighter weight

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

cable machine + wide bar

Wider grip increases lat activation

2. Weighted Pull-up

pull-up bar + weight belt

Full bodyweight plus added resistance

3. One-arm Lat Pulldown

cable machine + single handle

Unilateral movement increases difficulty

↕️ Similar Movements

Pull-up
Bodyweight version of same vertical pull pattern
Chin-up
Supinated grip vertical pull variation
Seated Cable Row
Horizontal pull for back development
Face Pull
Upper back and rear delt pull
Dumbbell Row
Unilateral horizontal pull for lats

Form Checklist

Pull bar to upper chest
Retract shoulder blades
Keep chest up and proud
Lean back slightly
Control the eccentric phase

Common Mistakes

  • Pulling behind neck
  • Using momentum and swinging
  • Not achieving full range of motion
  • Rounding shoulders forward
  • Gripping too wide or too narrow

📈 When to Progress

When you can do 12-15 reps with controlled form for 3 sets at current weight