How to Perform the Wide-Grip Pulldown | Proper Form Guide

Master the wide-grip pulldown with our expert guide. Learn the proper technique to build a wider back, improve posture, and avoid common shoulder mistakes.

How to Perform

1. Sit on the lat pulldown machine and adjust the knee pads so your thighs are secured firmly with no lift.
2. Grasp the long bar with an overhand grip, placing your hands significantly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Retract your shoulder blades and slightly lean your torso back about ten to fifteen degrees from vertical.
4. Drive your elbows toward your hips to pull the bar down until it nearly touches your upper chest.
5. Squeeze your back muscles at the bottom of the movement while keeping your forearms aligned with the cable.
6. Resist the weight during a controlled ascent until your arms are fully extended and your lats are stretched.
7. Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions without letting the weight stack touch between reps.

Common Mistakes

• Using momentum by rocking the torso back and forth
• Pulling the bar down behind the neck
• Wrapping the shoulders forward at the bottom of the rep
• Pulling with the hands rather than driving with the elbows

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

• Lats

Stabilizers

• Rhomboids
• Biceps
• Rear Deltoids
• Middle Trapezius

Related Guides

• 1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown — Back
• Alternating High Cable Row — Back
• Alternative DB Gorilla rows — Back

Lats · Back