Lat pulldown

The lat pulldown is primarily a back exercise, although your shoulders and biceps also see some action. Try switching grips and attachments to give this exercise a different feel.
When engaging in the lat pulldown, be careful if you have shoulder or lower back problems.

Getting set
Before you start, sit in the seat and adjust the thigh pads so your legs are firmly wedged underneath the pads with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Stand up and grasp the bar with an overhand grip and your hands about 6 inches wider than shoulder-width apart. Still grasping the bar, sit back down and wedge the tops of your thighs (just above your knee) underneath the thigh pads. Stretch your arms straight up, keep your chest lifted, and lean back slightly from your hips. See photo A in Figure 11-6.

The exercise
In a smooth, fluid motion, pull the bar down to the top of your chest. Hold the position for a moment, and then slowly raise the bar back up. When you’ve completed the set, stand up in order to return the weights to the stack. Don’t just let go of the bar while you’re seated — the sudden release causes the weight stack to come crashing down. See photo B in Figure 11-6.

Do’s and don’ts

• DON’T rock back and forth in an effort to pull down the weight.
  
• DON’T lean way back as you pull the weight down. Keep that inch-or-two lean that you had at the beginning of the movement.
  
• DON’T move so quickly that you jerk your elbows or shoulders.
• DON’T bend your wrists.

Other options
Changing your grip: Experiment with the width of your grip and the orientation of your palms to give this exercise a different feel. For example, use the triangle attachment for a triangle-grip lat pulldown. Or use an underhand grip (reverse-grip lat pulldown) and hold near the center of the bar for a pulldown that feels similar to a chin-up. Avoid pulling the bar behind your neck Experiment with other attachments of varying lengths and curves, such as the short straight bar and rope.