Dumbbell Lat Pull Guide: Build a Stronger Back
Master the dumbbell lat pull with our expert guide. Learn proper form, avoid common mistakes, and build back width with this effective vertical pull.
How to Perform
- Place a dumbbell on the floor at the end of a flat bench and lie perpendicular across the bench with only your upper back and shoulders supported.
- Form a diamond shape with your hands against the underside of the top dumbbell plate and extend your arms directly over your chest.
- Lower the weight in a controlled arc behind your head while keeping a slight bend in your elbows until you feel a deep stretch in your lats.
- Engage your lats to pull the dumbbell back up to the starting position above your chest using a smooth and deliberate motion.
- Exhale as you reach the top of the movement and pause briefly to maintain tension before starting the next repetition.
- Keep your hips slightly dropped throughout the set to create a stable anchor for the upper body movement.
Common Mistakes
- Bending the elbows excessively which turns the movement into a tricep extension.
- Arching the lower back too aggressively instead of maintaining a stable core.
- Using momentum or swinging the weight rather than controlling the eccentric phase.
- Dropping the hips too low or lifting them too high, losing the stretch in the lats.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Lats
Stabilizers
- Rear Deltoids
- Biceps
- Brachialis
- Lower Trapezius
Related Guides
- 1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown — Back
- Alternating High Cable Row — Back
- Alternative DB Gorilla rows — Back
Lats · Back