Close Grip Lat Pulldown Guide: Form and Benefits
Master the close grip lat pulldown with our expert guide. Learn the proper form, common mistakes to avoid, and how to build a thicker, stronger back.
How to Perform
- Attach a close-grip V-bar handle to the lat pulldown station and adjust the thigh pads so your legs are firmly secured.
- Sit down and grasp the handles with a neutral grip, ensuring your arms are fully extended and your shoulders are allowed to stretch upward.
- Lean back slightly, pull your shoulder blades down and back, and initiate the movement by driving your elbows toward your ribcage.
- Pull the handle toward your upper chest until your elbows are tucked at your sides and your back is fully contracted.
- Hold the peak contraction for a brief second before slowly resisting the weight as you return to the starting position.
- Maintain a controlled tempo throughout each repetition to ensure tension remains on the back muscles rather than using momentum.
Common Mistakes
- Leaning back excessively to use body weight for leverage.
- Pulling with the hands and forearms instead of driving with the elbows.
- Shortening the range of motion by not fully extending the arms at the top.
- Allowing the shoulders to shrug up toward the ears during the descent.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Latissimus Dorsi
Stabilizers
- Biceps Brachii
- Rhomboids
- Trapezius
- Brachialis
Related Guides
- 1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown — Back
- Alternating High Cable Row — Back
- Alternative DB Gorilla rows — Back
Latissimus Dorsi · Back