Do you want to do pull-ups? Start with chest pull

The exercise offers multiple variations that can be performed with very little adjustment other than changing the handle we are using. You can vary the exercise to work your back in several ways and adjust it to your comfort level.

However, given its popularity and adaptability, it is often done incorrectly or in a way that can do more harm than good.

How is it done?

We will sit comfortably on the folding seat, with our feet flat on the ground. We will check the height of the bar. We may need to adjust the height of the bar by shortening or lengthening the chain or cable that holds the bar, or the height of the seat.

The bar should be at a height where your outstretched arms can comfortably grip it without having to come all the way up, but you should also be able to extend your arms for full range of motion. If the seat has a thigh pad, we will adjust it so that the tops of your thighs are tucked firmly under the pad. This will help us when we apply stress to the bar.

1. We will hold the bar with a wide grip with an overhand grip and with the knuckles up. Other positions and grips are possible, but we’ll start with this standard position.
2. We will pull the bar down until it is approximately at the level of the chin. We will exhale on the downward movement. While shifting back slightly is fine, we’ll try to keep the upper torso stationary.
3. We will keep our feet flat on the ground and contract our abs while we pull.
4. The bottom of the movement should be where the elbows can no longer move down without moving back. We’ll make sure to stop at this point and not go any lower.
5. We will squeeze the shoulder blades while keeping the shoulders straight.
6. From the bottom position, with the bar near the chin, we will slowly return the bar to the starting position while controlling the gradual ascent. We won’t let it crash into the weight plates.

It is recommended to maintain good control and try not to lean too far back while pulling down. We’ll keep our back straight, but try not to arch or round as we pull down. This can increase the risk of injury. It is better to lower the weight if we cannot maintain a neutral spine or good technique.

Advantage

This exercise is a great substitute for pull-ups if you’re having a hard time performing these exercises or if you’re training to get there. The chest pull activates some of the same muscles as a pull-up, although to a lesser extent.

Also, since we are sitting during the lat pull down, we can use our hip flexors and abdominals to stabilize our body while doing it. In fact, an earlier study found that the lat pulldown activated the abs more than the pullup. The pulldown also benefits athletes in many sports that require a similar pulling motion, such as swimming, gymnastics, wrestling, and cross-country skiing.

Another benefit is that it strengthens the shoulder muscles , including the biceps. The lat pulldown not only strengthens the biceps muscle, it also strengthens the muscles that support the biceps, which are the biceps brachii and brachioradialis. A strong bicep will allow for better arm flexion and elbow rotation, which will be quite useful for throwing or lifting, which are essential in athletics like shot put and discus throw. Rowing is another sport where a strong bicep is required.

muscles worked

One of the reasons the lat pulldown is such a prominent and important exercise is that the overhead pulling motion recruits several important muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms. The latissimus dorsi muscles are the wing muscles that we see in someone with a defined back. They are the main drivers of this multi-joint exercise and are the largest muscles in your back.

The lats are responsible for extension, adduction, horizontal abduction, and internal rotation of the arm. When the arm is fixed overhead, the lats pull the body toward the arm in a climbing motion. In addition, the lats help with breathing and can even contribute to lateral flexion and extension of the lumbar spine.

Many other muscles work synergistically or simultaneously with the lats in this exercise:

• pectoralis major
• Lower and middle trapezius
• Brachial
• brachioradialis
• teres major
• rhomboids
• Brachial biceps
• infraspinatus
• Wrist and hand flexors
• ABS

Changing the way we grip the bar while doing this complex exercise will emphasize different muscle groups.

Variations

The chest pulldown can be done in different ways, both by grips and with other materials.

Close Grip Pulldown

Close grip is considered any hand position narrower than shoulder width. We can do this with a standard lat pull down bar or with the grips we would use for rowing. The version described below involves more use of the biceps brachii muscle.

This version is good if you’re experiencing forearm pain when pulling down or if you’re under pressure and want a compound exercise to work those biceps.

1. We’ll start seated as we would for the normal chest pulldown.
2. We will place our hands near the center, where the cable connects. We will hold the bar with an underhand grip.
3. We’ll pull the bar toward the collarbone, concentrating on pulling the elbows and shoulder blades down. We should note that the biceps are more active during this version.
4. If we use a row bar, we will perform the exercise as indicated above. The advantage of using this bar is that it allows us to pull the weight through a greater range of motion.

Wide grip hand position

The wide grip is considered any position with the hands placed as far apart as possible on a standard bar (wider than shoulder width). This version targets the lats and triceps more than the biceps because the primary movement is adduction, rather than adduction plus extension, of the arm.

1. Perform this version as you would the standard-grip lat pulldown. You may prefer to pull towards the middle of the chest.
2. Additionally, you’ll want to lower the weight to allow for a greater range of motion.
3. Because there is a slight mechanical disadvantage to this variation, it is important to consider posture.

Straight arm pulldown

This version isolates the lats much more than the other versions. It also changes the movement from a multi-joint exercise to a single-joint movement at the shoulders.

1. We will stand up, facing the cable pulley, with our feet shoulder-width apart.
2. We will hold the bar with our hands a little wider than our shoulders and our knees slightly bent.
3. We’ll keep our elbows straight and focus on pulling the bar towards our hips. The trunk must remain high and the head erect.
4. We will maintain the position for 1 or 2 seconds, keeping the shoulder blades back and down. We will slowly return to the initial position on the head.

Chest pull with resistance band

This version is great for working out at home because it requires nothing more than a resistance band and a way to anchor it above your head. We can be kneeling, sitting or standing, depending on where the anchor point is.

We can also perform this variation while lying on our back, with the band anchored to a solid, stationary point above and behind the crown of our head. We can perform this exercise as we would the straight arm version above or by bending the elbows and pulling them out to the sides of the body.

Common mistakes

It is recommended to avoid these mistakes in order to get the most out of this exercise and avoid tensions or injuries.

• Arch your back. We will sit up straight and keep our chest up as we pull the bar down. Maintaining a neutral spine can help protect your lower back from injury.
• Use your forearms . We’ll make sure the forearms aren’t doing the work of pulling the bar down; we want it to come out of the back. We will activate the lats by pulling down from the armpits.
• Holding the bar too wide . We will take the bar just outside the shoulders, but not too wide, especially if we are beginners. We will make sure to keep the elbows pointing down as we lower the bar and not out to the sides.
• Pull down too far . We will stop at the point where the elbows would have to go back to continue pulling the cable down. If your elbows go back, you will put excessive stress on your shoulder joint. We only have to lower the bar to the chin or just below.
• Use the boost . As with most weight exercises, we’ll do the lat pulldown slowly and with control. Going fast uses momentum and reduces the use of specific muscles.
• Do it behind the scenes . The pulldown behind the neck is not recommended for safety reasons, as rotation of the shoulder joint and possible spinal contact with the bar could lead to injury.