Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
The wide-grip lat pulldown is a seated cable exercise that trains your lats and assists with upper-back and arm strength using an overhand grip wider than your shoulders.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Adjust the thigh pad to fit snugly over your thighs when seated.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip moderately wider than shoulder width.
- Sit beneath the bar with your thighs under the pad, feet flat, and torso leaning slightly backward.
- Pull the bar toward your upper chest with your elbows traveling down and slightly outward.
- Extend your arms back to a comfortable overhead reach.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists straight
- Keep your neck long
- Keep your ribs over your hips
- Exhale as you pull
Common mistakes
- Pulling behind your neckKeep the bar in front of your face throughout the pull.
- Using an excessively wide gripMove your hands inward if the grip limits your range or makes your shoulders uncomfortable.
- Rocking backward to move the weightReduce the load until your torso stays at the same angle throughout the repetition.
- Forcing the bar to touchStop the pull before your shoulders roll forward, even if the bar does not touch your chest.
Safety
Excessive load or jerking the bar can strain your shoulders or elbows. An uncontrolled return can abruptly pull your arms overhead.
- Check that the bar attachment and weight-stack pin are fully secured.
- Start with a light test set before adding weight.
- Control the return rather than letting the cable lift your arms suddenly.
- Let the weight stack settle before releasing the bar.
If overhead reaching causes shoulder pain, try a closer neutral grip or ask a physiotherapist for guidance before loading the movement.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Lat Pulldown Bar
- Lat Pulldown Machine
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Choose a load that leaves you able to complete about two more controlled reps.