Exercise Profile
  • Target Muscle Group
  • Exercise TypeStrength
  • Equipment RequiredCable
  • MechanicsCompound
  • Force TypePull (Bilateral)
  • Experience LevelBeginner
  • Secondary Muscles
    Abs, Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back
Target Muscle Group

Lats

Lats Muscle Anatomy Diagram

Close Grip Lat Pull Down Overview

The close grip lat pull down is a variation of the lat pull down and an exercise used to build the muscles of the back. While the exercise will primarily target the lats, you will also notice a fair amount of bicep and middle back activation.

The back is a muscle group that requires a fair amount of variation. So, experiment with several different angles and hand positions to maximize your back muscle growth.

The close grip lat pull down can be performed during your back workouts, upper body workouts, pull workouts, and full body workouts.

Close Grip Lat Pull Down Instructions

  1. Attach a wide grip handle to the lat pulldown machine and assume a seated position.
  2. Grasp the handle with a pronated grip (double underhand) at shoulder width.
  3. Initiate the movement by depressing the shoulder blades and then flexing the elbow while extending the shoulder.
  4. Pull the handle towards your body until the elbows are in line with your torso and then slowly lower the handle back to the starting position under control.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Close Grip Lat Pull Down Tips

  1. Keep some tone through your abdominals as you pull the bar into your body to ensure you don’t arch excessively through the spine.
  2. Don’t allow momentum to dictate the movement, control the weight throughout the entirety of each rep.
  3. If you feel your biceps being overused and your back remaining under active, consider utilizing a false grip (i.e. don’t wrap the thumb around the dumbbell).
  4. Don’t allow the head to jut forward as you pull.
  5. Similarly, ensure the shoulder blade moves on the rib cage. Don’t lock the shoulder blade down and just move through the glenohumeral joint.
  6. Allow the shoulder to internally rotate and shrug slightly at the top of the movement. You will obviously reverse the movement and depress the shoulder blade before you pull with the arm.
16 Comments
Vagner
Posted on: Wed, 03/24/2021 - 14:11

What weights would you recommend for this workout program

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Abigail
Posted on: Thu, 03/25/2021 - 09:27

Hey Vagner - which workout program are you referring to?

Marissa
Posted on: Fri, 02/02/2018 - 17:43

I’m beginner and starting to worki out from home and currently only have dumbbells. What would be alternative to this exercise? Thanks in advance!

MadR4sta
Posted on: Sun, 10/11/2020 - 15:57

open palm face or rather palm facing forward, shoulder width hand grip pull ups I reckon, from anywhere you can safely hang from. Doing it assisted as many of us may need to as a beginner or even intermediated and especially like me unable to pull my body weight through the whole motion will be the challenge I guess. You can try standing on a platform of some form and assisting with your legs to some extent but being mindful to not rest on you legs while doing it

MadR4sta
Posted on: Sun, 10/11/2020 - 15:59

Actually you could also do similar with resistance bands set up for a similar motion in hindsight

Rafa
Posted on: Tue, 07/25/2023 - 08:38

Con las mancuernas son mucho de los ejercicios que puedas realizar pero eso dependerá de lo que quieras hacer bajar de peso o aumentar la masa muscular cuál sería tu objetivo para tu cuerpo

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Roger
Posted on: Sun, 08/06/2023 - 21:51

Rafa's comment translated.

With dumbbells there are a lot of exercises you can do but that will depend on what you want to lose weight or increase muscle mass. What would be your goal for your body?

Shobhit behal
Posted on: Sun, 08/06/2017 - 12:30

While close grip lat pull down aren't we supposed to, not extend our arms to fullest? Shouldn't we stretch it to the half way?

Joel Thomas
Posted on: Fri, 10/03/2014 - 19:02

Working out from home so I don't have machines or cables. Can this exercise be replaced by bent over barbell row or is there a better lat exercise I could do?

Samuel c Mckeehan
Posted on: Mon, 08/03/2020 - 14:22

I would personally say the Dumbbell Pullover would be a good replacement... but I’m not a professional so take that with a grain of salt.

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Yoshi
Posted on: Mon, 08/10/2020 - 13:03

Hey Joel

I would say bent over BB row is your best alternative here, as you can alter the angle you pull from and the width you grab the bar. Both of those tweaks can help you attack your back from different angles.

MadR4sta
Posted on: Sun, 10/11/2020 - 15:56

open palm face or rather palm facing forward, shoulder width hand grip pull ups I reckon, from anywhere you can safely hang from. Doing it assisted as many of us may need to as a beginner or even intermediated and especially like me unable to pull my body weight through the whole motion will be the challenge I guess. You can try standing on a platform of some form and assisting with your legs to some extent but being mindful to not rest on you legs while doing it

MadR4sta
Posted on: Sun, 10/11/2020 - 16:00

Actually you could also do similar with resistance bands set up for a similar motion in hindsight

John
Posted on: Wed, 07/17/2013 - 07:09

Is there another way to doing this as my gym has not close grip bar

Dennis Habern
Posted on: Sun, 08/11/2013 - 14:03

The V-Bar is not that expensive, therefore, I would purchase it myself and take it to your gym
and talk to the owner or manager to pay you for it as it is a much required piece of equipment.
If you cannot work something out, keep it and bring it with you each time you train. Pretty soon,
the word will get around and then perhaps the owner or manager will purchase it from you. Therefore,
keep all of your purchasing receipts.

Jeff A WOODRUFF
Posted on: Mon, 11/04/2019 - 12:37

Yeah, I agree with you. I actually ended up switching gyms because they constantly had a lack of equipment. It's especially frustrating when its small things like a lack of accessories or even just the connector carabiners. Gym managers should look hard at this stuff when they are losing members.