The Best & Effective 9 Lat Pulldown Variations

The dorsimus latissimus holds the title of the largest muscle you have in your back. The muscles in your lats stretch from your lower back to mid-lower towards your sides and then behind your arms.

The lats are activated to help move your shoulders and adduct them and the torso to move forward and upwards when you have your arms above your head.

These lateral back muscles have a key role in many “pulling” exercises, such as the pulldown of the lat and pull-ups and other rowing exercises.

Benefits Of Lat Pulldown Variations

Lat pulldowns are an important back exercise because few other exercises can activate the lats simultaneously.

Training using a variety of pulldown lat variations will provide the following advantages

#1 Stronger And Bigger Lats

Every lat pulldown exercise will increase their contraction near the end of each repetition. By establishing a proper connection between your mind and muscles and proper technique, you’ll create a stronger, more dense back within minutes.

A well-built back is vital for enhancing your performance in sports, compound lifts, and simple everyday routines.

Performing a wide variety of pulldowns for lats will assist you in reaching all those fitness targets.

#2 Improved Posture

Lat pulldowns are among the most effective exercises to improve your posture. Sitting for long periods at work or even while driving could cause a lack of use of your lats and other back muscles.

This could lead to slouching, discomfort, and tension in your back and shoulders.

Lat pulldowns are posture correctors and can help stimulate these muscles that are not being used. If you exercise regularly, you’ll be standing up with a proper posture within minutes.

#3 Improved Aesthetics

All too often, people’s focus is on focusing on the prominent muscles in front of their bodies, namely the chest, abs, and arms.

While these are all important muscles, building them equally across your body is more secure in addition to being more physically attractive.

Suppose you’re looking to build size, increase definition or build strength in the back area. In that case, these pulldown lat variations will surely aid you in achieving your goals.

The Most Powerful 9 Lat Pulldown Variations

#1 Resistance Band Kneeling Lat Pulldown

When you perform the banded kneeling pulldown, the resistance is increased when you pull downwards. This means that you must be more intense throughout the movie.

Setup

• Attach your resistance band to an elevated hook or door frame, and either kneel or sit on the floor.
• If your band has handles, raise your arms to the side to grasp the handles with your palms facing the front. If the band doesn’t have handles, you can grab the piece with palms in the direction of forwards and your hand slightly larger than your shoulder length apart.

Instructions

1. You should brace your core. Lower your shoulders and back, then pull the band until it’s at about your chest level.
2. Pause briefly at the bottom, squeeze your lats, and slowly return to your starting position.
3. Keep your core tight in your core, and repeat!

#2 1-Arm Lat Pulldown

Suppose you’d rather utilize machines in the gym for more stability. In that case, the 1 arm lat pulldown machine is an excellent method to train your lats unidirectionally.

Setup

• Take a seat on the pad, with your back upright and feet firmly solidly in the dirt.
• Place your knees under the knee pads and engage your core.
• Reach out with one hand, and then grasp the handle using an upper hand grip.

Instructions

1. Contract your lat to pull the handle upwards.
2. Squeeze your lat with force towards the end of the rep, then slowly return to your starting position.
3. Repeat this move until you have reached the desired number of repetitions!

#3 Cable Straight Arm Pulldown

Straight arm lat pulldown gives you a wider movement range than the normal lat pulldown. This will help you build a stronger back with each rep.

Setup

• Set your straight bar or lat bar above shoulder height.
• Stand in the front of the pulley machine with your shoulders to each other.
• Grab the attachment using an overhand grip with your arms extended.
• Keep an unnatural bend in your knees, and move your body forward with a slight.

Instructions

1. Keeping your arms straight, press your lats until you lower the bar to your thighs.
2. Pause briefly at the end of the rep, then squeeze your lats with force, then slowly return to your starting position.
3. Keep your core tight in your core, and repeat!

#4 Supinated Lat Pulldown

Also called the underhand pulldown, this lat variant can assist you in lifting more weight since your biceps have a greater part in pulling.

Setup

• Sit on the bench, facing the machine.
• Extend your arms to grasp the bar, keeping your palms facing you. Hands should sit about two inches apart.
• Lean back a bit and then brace your core.

Instructions

1. Bring your shoulder blades back and forward, and then pull the bar back until it reaches the top of your ribcage.
2. Pause briefly at the bottom, squeeze your lats, and slowly return to your starting position.
3. Maintain your tightness in your core, and repeat!

#5 Alternating Lat Pulldown

It is also possible to train your lats unidirectionally using the pulldowns with alternating lats.

Setup

• To begin, you must sit on the bench while looking at the machine. Maintain your back straight.
• Extend your arms upwards and grasp the handles with your palms in front. Connect your abdominal muscles.

Instructions

1. Engage your right lat and lower the right handle.
2. Complete the same movement for the opposite side.
3. Squeeze your lats with your hands at the bottom of each rep.
4. Slowly return each handle to its starting position, then repeat!

#6 Close Grip Lat Pulldown

The close-grip version of the pulldown targets keys muscles in the back’s middle more than the standard lat pulldown.

Setup

• You should sit on the lap pulldown bench and face the machine.
• Secure your legs in a comfortable place beneath those knee pads.
• Extend your arms up to grab the attachment for a close grip with your palms in front of each other.
• Lean slightly to the back and then brace your core.

Instructions

1. Bring your shoulders back and down and pull the attachment downwards until it is in your chest.
2. Pause for a few seconds in the middle, squeeze your lats, and slowly return to your starting position.
3. Maintain tightness in your core, and repeat!

#7 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

The wide grip pulldown is a variation that is designed to work the outer part of the lats better than the normal lat pulldown.

Setup

• Sit down in front of the machine and use knee pads to keep on your legs. You can also secure your knees right over your ankles.
• Extend your arms to grasp the bar in the widest grip with your hands facing you. The hands must be more than the shoulder width.
• Lean slightly to the back and then brace your core.

Instructions

1. Bring your shoulders back and down, and then push the bar until it is on top of the rib cage.
2. Pause briefly at the bottom, squeeze your lats, and slowly return to your starting position.
3. Keep your core tight in your core, and repeat!

#8 Side Straight Arm Pulldown

This pulldown exercise for the lat is among the most effective exercises for lats that is unilateral. It requires an apparatus for cable and an attachment for your handle.

Setup

• The pulley machine should be set to the handle above your shoulder.
• Lean on the other side of the machine, and extend one hand out for the lever, keeping your palm facing downwards. The arm must be in a straight line when you are in this position.

Instructions

1. Make sure you contract your lat and bring the handle closer to your side.
2. Squeeze your lat at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting point.
3. Repeat this motion until you reach the desired number of repetitions!

#9 Close Grip Reverse Lat Pulldown

Close grip variation reversed pulldown variant requires stronger core and mind-muscle connection stability.

Setup

• Start by placing your feet on the pad with your back towards the pulldown lat machine.
• Reach your arms up to grasp the attachment for a close grip with your palms facing one to the other. Get your body into yours.

Instructions

1. Bring your shoulders back and back, and then pull the attachment until it touches your chest.
2. Stop briefly near the top, squeeze your lats, and slowly return to your starting position.
3. Maintain your tightness in your core, and repeat!