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Medium Grip Lat Pulldown
The Medium Grip Lat Pulldown is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 28%, lats (lower) 18% and biceps (long head) 8%.
How to do it
- Lock the thighs under the pad and clip a lat bar to the high pulley.
- Grip the bar overhand with the hands a little wider than the shoulders.
- Sit with the chest up and a slight lean back.
- Pull the bar to the upper chest while the elbows move down in front of the body.
- Let the bar rise slowly until the arms are straight.
Tips
- Aim for forearms that stay vertical under the bar at the bottom.
- Breathe out as the bar comes down, in as it rises.
Common mistakes
- Using the hips to swing the bar down.
- Letting the upper back round at the bottom.
- Moving the head forward to meet the bar.
Muscles worked by the Medium Grip Lat Pulldown
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
A seated pulldown is a pull up with the load chosen: the same lat-led pattern with elbow flexors and lower traps assisting, and far less core work.
Medium Grip Lat Pulldown alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Medium Grip Lat Pulldown work?
Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The biceps (long head), lower traps, biceps (short head), rhomboids and brachialis assist.
Is the Medium Grip Lat Pulldown good for beginners?
Yes. The Medium Grip Lat Pulldown is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Medium Grip Lat Pulldown?
For example the Band Lat Pulldown, Hammer Strength Pulldown and Machine Lat Pulldown. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Medium Grip Lat Pulldown harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown and Single Arm Lat Pulldown (Cuff).
Sources
- Lusk et al. 2010, JSCR 24(7):1895-1900 (grip width and orientation)
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