Lat Pull Down

Lat pull down machines are one of the most commonly used machines in a gym. They can consist of a pulley system with various bar attachments, or can have two fixed, independant arms. The lat pull down is so named because the Latissimus Dorsi ('lats') is the target muscle.

Teaching points

Whilst standing, hold the bar/handles with a wide grip (wider than shoulder width), with the palms facing forwards
Sit down whilst holding the bar/handles
If the machine has a bar, pull it down to chest height
If the machine has handles as shown, pull down to just above shoulder height
Lean back at your hips slightly as you do so
Control the bar back to the starting position and repeat
When you have finished your set, stand up to let the bar/handles all the way up

Variations and progressions

Lat pull downs on machines with a bar can also be performed with a reverse grip, sometimes known as a reverse grip pull down
To do this, turn the hands around so the palms face you and grip the bar approximately head width apart (you may require a shorter bar)

Muscles worked