How to Do Machine Lat Pulldowns: Muscles Worked & Proper Form

Muscles Worked in Machine Lat Pulldown

Primary muscles worked:

• Lats

Secondary muscles worked:

• Biceps
• Rear Deltoids
• Forearm Flexors
• Rotator Cuffs

How to Do Machine Lat Pulldown

1. Begin by adjusting the knee pad to fit snugly against your thighs to prevent your body from lifting off the seat.
2. Grasp the handles with an overhand (pronated) grip, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Sit with your thighs under the knee pad, keep your chest up, and look at the bar.
4. Pull the handles down towards your chest, leading with your elbows. Pull until the handles is below parallell to your chin.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement.
6. Exhale and slowly release the bar back up to the starting position.
7. Repeat for reps.
   

Commentary

Lat pulldowns train both your lats and arm flexors effectively. By using a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, you get a good range of motion as well as high muscle activation in all the working muscles.

Lat pulldown is a good exercise to strengthen the muscles necessary to do a pull-up.