Lat pulldowns are a staple exercise for building a strong, muscular back.
By using different grips, the lat pulldown can be tailored to target different muscle groups. This means it can help whether your goal is to widen your lats or develop your upper back.
In this post, we'll explore some of the benefits of incorporating grip variations into your lat pulldown workout routine.
What Is a Lat Pulldown?
The lat pulldown is a compound exercise that works several muscle groups at once.
When performing this exercise, start by sitting down with your thighs secured under padded restraints. Reach up and grab the straight bar attached to the cable using a shoulder-width grip, palms facing forward. Pull the bar down to your upper chest while squeezing your back muscles. Take a short pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
Benefits of Lat Pulldown Grip Variations
Varying your grip when doing lat pulldowns offers several benefits:
Target Different Muscle Groups
Using different grips during lat pulldowns recruits different muscles. For example, a wide-grip pulldown emphasizes the lats, while a close-grip works more of the upper back. Mixing up your grip hits your back from multiple angles, leading to more balanced muscle strength.
Prevent Overuse Injuries
Repeating the same grip over and over can place repetitive stress on the joints. Rotating different grips protects your shoulders, elbows, and wrists from strain or injuries from overuse.
Enhance Workout Variety
Changing grips also enhances workout variety and helps beat boredom. Hitting your back muscles from multiple angles keeps your body guessing and leads to continued gains over time.
Top Lat Pulldown Grip Variations
Here are some of the most common and effective lat pulldown grip variations:
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
The wide-grip lat pulldown targets the latissimus dorsi.
Using a wider grip allows your shoulder blades to pinch together as you pull the bar down and fully contract the lats. Keep your chest lifted and avoid swinging or leaning back to isolate the targeted back muscles.
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
The close-grip lat pulldown, sometimes called the narrow grip, targets the lower and mid-lat muscles.
For this pulldown, grasp the bar with hands placed close together (closer than shoulder-width apart). Pull the bar down towards your upper chest, keeping your elbows tucked in near your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement.
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
With palms facing in, the reverse-grip lat pulldown emphasizes the lower lats and biceps.
For this pulldown, grasp the bar with palms facing you slightly inside of shoulder width. Pull the bar down until your upper arms are perpendicular to the floor. Pause at the bottom of the movement for one to two seconds. Control the resistance as you allow the bar to rise back to the starting position. This helps maximize time under tension. Remember to keep your upper arms stationary and elbows tucked throughout the exercise.
Mixed-Grip Lat Pulldown
This creative variation uses one underhand and one overhand grip.
It allows you to distribute the workload between both sides of the back. Focus on pulling with the back muscles rather than arms and keep your torso stationary as you pull down. For symmetry, make sure you evenly switch which hand uses an underhand grip and which hand uses a lower hand grip.
How to Incorporate Grip Variations in Your Workout
To build a strong, balanced back, you'll want to change up your pulldown grip.
Here are two ways you can incorporate grip variations into your workout routine:
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Option 1: Focus on a different grip each workout. Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps using the same grip then switch grips the next workout.
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Option 2: Use a different grip for each set. Do 1 set wide grip, 1 set close grip, 1 set reverse grip, etc.
Listen to your body and adjust grips as needed to prevent discomfort. Adding grip variations is an easy way to take your lat pulldown to the next level.
How often should I change grip variations?
Change your grip at least every 2-3 weeks to continually hit your back from different angles - adjust as needed. Changing grips regularly enhances muscle activation and prevents overuse.
Equip Your Home Gym with Powertec's Lat Machine
Take your lat pulldown workout to the next level by equipping your gym with a Powertec Lat Machine.
Features and Specifications
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Plate-loaded design with high weight capacity; an additional 190 lb weight stack is available
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Angled stainless steel weight horns for secure plate loading
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Multiple attachments included: Lat Pulldown Bar, Short Bar, Extension Chain + 3 carabiner clips
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Dimensions: 55.3" x 39.3" x 82.1"
With smooth pulleys, heavy-duty construction, and optional accessories, our Lat Machine enables you to perform all the grip variations safely and effectively.
Call our team at and upgrade your home or commercial gym today.
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