LiftSets / Exercises / Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

Works the lats. Helped by the biceps, middle back and shoulders.

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown, finish position, with the working muscles highlighted — Finish

Bright blue is the target muscle. Darker blue is helping. The app shows this as a moving demo.

Muscles worked

latsbicepsmiddle backshoulders

How many reps

Goal	Reps per set
Strength	3-6
Muscle size	6-10
Endurance	12-20+

Whatever the number, the set should end within a rep or two of the point where you could not do another with good form.

Kit	Cable
Level	Beginner

What to think about

Chest up, slight lean back.
Pull the elbows down to your sides, bar to the top of the chest.
Let the arms go long at the top for a full stretch.

How to do it

Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
As you have both arms extended in front of you - while holding the bar at the chosen grip width - bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary (only the arms should move). The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull the bar down using the forearms.
After a second in the contracted position, while squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Other exercises for the lats

Track it in LiftSets

Log Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown with last time's numbers in front of you, a rest timer on your lock screen and a graph of your progress.

Coming soon to the App Store