Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown: Type, Advantages & Variations

The close-grip lat pulldown is a again train that primarily trains the latissimus dorsi, or “lats.”

You carry out it on a lat pulldown machine utilizing a V-bar attachment, which permits for a slender hand place and impartial grip (palms dealing with one another). It’s extremely efficient for constructing again muscle and power, straightforward to study, and ideal for these with decrease again points.

On this skilled information, you’ll study correct close-grip lat pulldown kind, the advantages of the close-grip lat pulldown, widespread errors to keep away from, the perfect variations and options to include into your exercise routine, and extra.

Learn how to Do the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown

To carry out the close-grip lat pulldown, comply with these steps:

1. Arrange

Connect a V-bar to the lat pulldown machine pulley, and choose an acceptable weight that means that you can keep correct kind and vary of movement all through the train.

Sit on the lat pulldown machine seat and regulate the knee pad in order that it locks your decrease physique in place, then slide your thighs out, rise up, and seize the V-bar with each fingers.

Whereas retaining your grip on the bar and your arms straight, sit down, permitting your physique weight to tug the bar down with you. Nudge your thighs beneath the knee pads and plant your ft flat on the ground.

2. Pull

Sit together with your chest proud and barely arch your decrease again to assist interact your lats.

With out whipping your torso backward, pull the deal with towards your chest till it’s beneath your chin (or touches your chest if you wish to make the train more durable). As you pull the bar down, squeeze your shoulder blades collectively and pull them down.

A great “cue” is to think about pulling your elbows into the ground.

3. Ascend

Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place. This mirrors what you probably did in the course of the pull.

Right here’s the way it ought to look while you put all of it collectively:

Advantages of the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown

Let’s discover a number of the key benefits of the close-grip lat pulldown.

Full Again Coaching

The close-grip lat pulldown is a wonderful train for coaching nearly all of the muscle mass of the again, together with the lats, rhomboids, mid-traps, and rear deltoids.

Coaching these muscle teams concurrently is good for gaining balanced dimension and power on the again of your physique.

It additionally trains the biceps, shoulders, forearms, triceps, pecs, and abs to a lesser diploma. 

Simple to Be taught for Novices

When most lifters consider “vertical pulling” workouts (workouts that contain pulling one thing from above your head towards your physique), they consider pull ups and chin ups.

Whereas these are glorious again workouts, they are often troublesome for inexperienced persons or those that are chubby since they could not have the power to carry out a single rep.

The close-grip lat pulldown is a helpful workaround as a result of it really works related muscle mass however means that you can regulate the load and progressively construct power.

Decreased Decrease Again Stress

The close-grip pulldown minimizes the pressure on the decrease again, enhancing general consolation in the course of the train.

Not like workouts resembling bent-over rows, which stress your backbone whereas bent over, the close-grip lat pulldown means that you can keep an upright posture, decreasing decrease again discomfort.

Improved Posture

Strengthening your again muscle mass with workouts such because the close-grip pulldown helps to enhance posture by strengthening the muscle mass that hold your shoulders again, stopping extreme higher again rounding.

Widespread Errors to Keep away from in Shut Grip Lat Pulldown

Whereas the close-grip lat pulldown is an efficient train, it’s essential to pay attention to widespread errors that may hinder your progress and enhance the chance of harm. Listed here are some widespread errors to keep away from:

Utilizing Momentum

Producing momentum by “whipping” your higher physique backward as you pull the load lowers again engagement and shifts the emphasis onto different muscle teams, which is a nasty factor if creating your again is your high precedence.

Keep away from this by retaining your again stationary, sustaining upper-body tightness, and core stability all through the vary of movement.

Pulling Too Low

Bringing the bar beneath your higher chest can pressure your shoulder joint and scale back the train’s effectiveness. Persist with the right vary of movement, decreasing the bar to beneath your chin or in order that it touches your higher pecs. This engages your again muscle mass correctly and prevents shoulder discomfort.

Pulling with Your Biceps

It’s straightforward to rely an excessive amount of in your biceps as an alternative of your again when performing the close-grip pulldown. Nonetheless, doing so robs you of muscle and power acquire within the goal muscle mass.

To reduce biceps engagement, think about pulling your elbows into the ground. This maximizes how a lot your lats contribute whereas lessening biceps involvement. 

The Finest Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown Variations and Alternate options

Whereas the close-grip lat pulldown is an efficient train, incorporating variations and options can add selection to your exercise routine and goal the muscle mass of the again in several methods. Listed here are a number of the greatest close-grip lat pulldown variations and options:

1. One-Arm Lat Pulldown

The one-arm lat pulldown is a good variation that focuses on one aspect of the physique at a time, serving to you discover and repair muscle imbalances. 

To carry out the one-arm lat pulldown, connect a D-handle to the highest pulley of the lat pulldown machine. Seize the deal with with one hand and pull it towards your chest, mimicking the movement of the standard lat pulldown.

This train additionally engages the core muscle mass, significantly the obliques, as they assist stabilize the physique in the course of the motion.

2. Impartial-Grip Pullups

Impartial-grip pullups are a wonderful various to the close-grip lat pulldown, concentrating on the identical muscle mass however with out the necessity for a lat pulldown machine. You’ll be able to carry out this variation utilizing a set of parallel bars or a neutral-grip pull-up bar. 

3. Lat Pulldown

The common lat pulldown trains your again equally to the close-grip lat pulldown, although it might be barely higher at coaching the lats and fewer efficient at concentrating on the rear delts.

4. Cable Row

The cable row is a wonderful various to the shut grip lat pulldown that entails utilizing a impartial grip to tug a weight horizontally towards your midsection whereas retaining your elbows near your sides. Equally to the close-grip pulldown, the cable row trains your mid again to a excessive diploma, particularly your lats.

5. One-Arm Dumbbell Row

The one-arm dumbbell row is one other nice various to the close-grip lat pulldown, coaching all of the muscle mass of the center again, significantly the lats, traps, and rhomboids. To carry out the train, maintain a dumbbell in a single hand, place the alternative knee and hand on a bench for help, and row the dumbbell to your aspect whereas retaining your again straight. 

A big benefit of the one-arm dumbbell row is that it requires little tools, making it a helpful various for individuals who don’t have entry to a lat pulldown machine.

Muscle tissues Labored By the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown

Right here’s a diagram of the principle muscle mass labored by the shut grip lat pulldown:

Units and Reps for the Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown

The close-grip pulldown entails a number of main muscle teams concurrently, so you should use heavier hundreds with out compromising security, offered you utilize good kind. 

Doing 3 units of 4-to-6 or 6-to-8 reps works effectively for many males, whereas 3 units of 6-to-8 or 8-to-10 reps is extra becoming for girls.

FAQ #1: What’s the distinction between huge and close-grip lat pull downs?

The wide-grip pulldown is a bit higher at coaching your lats, and the close-grip pulldown is marginally higher at coaching your rear delts. The close-grip variation additionally trains the pecs and triceps greater than the huge grip model, although neither is a “chest” or “triceps” train.

Nonetheless, these variations are so minor that they possible have little impact on long-term muscle development.

FAQ #2: Which grip is greatest for the lat pulldown?

There’s no such factor because the “greatest” grip for the lat pulldown. The very best answer for most individuals is to periodically experiment with grip widths and orientations.

Doing so possible causes extra balanced and full development than utilizing only one or two grips, and it might aid you keep away from repetitive pressure accidents, which may happen while you do the identical train for lengthy intervals. 

FAQ #3: Will lat pull-downs assist with my pull-ups?

Sure, lat pulldown workouts might help enhance your pull-up power. 

Lat pulldowns goal the identical muscle mass utilized in pull-ups, such because the lats and biceps. By strengthening these muscle mass by way of lat pulldown workouts, you possibly can improve your capacity to carry out pull-ups.

That mentioned, power is “particular.” In different phrases, one of the best ways to get higher at pull-ups is to do pull-ups.