When it comes to lat pulldowns, it can be confusing to know which handle to use and for what. You’ve got bars, D-handles, triangles, ropes, straps, handles, and many more. It almost feels like there should be a Dr. Seuss poem listing them and their functions.
The different cable attachments are each designed to serve a specific purpose and activate specific muscles. There are also many different grip options for lat pulldowns (from neutral to wide to underhand).
But if your goal is to have a thick back and build strong pillars of muscle alongside your spine like a protective turtle shell, close-grip cable lat pulldowns are going to be one of the most effective tools in your tool bag.
Here’s a look at the benefits of close-grip cable lat pulldowns and why you should incorporate them into your strength-training workout.
Close-Grip vs. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
It is not a competition between close-grip and wide-grip cable pulldowns. Neither is the villain, but instead, they are both heroes that serve different purposes.
Both variations of cable pulldowns are helpful in their own right. The difference between the two types of lat pulldowns is simple but important to understand so you can tailor them to best serve your goals.
In one quick hit, think of it like this: Wide grip makes your upper back wider, and close grip makes your upper back thicker.
If you want to develop an inverted pyramid with wide lats or “wings,” wide grip is your jam. If you want to develop columns of muscle on either side of your spine and strengthen your ability to control weight nearer your center of mass, close grip is the move.
A healthy and strong body is about balance, so incorporating both is helpful in building a fully comprehensive back. But fair warning: Your shirts will fit a bit tighter, and you’ll feel like a sexy Ninja Turtle.
Muscles worked in close-grip lat pulldowns
Close-grip lat pulldowns are great for developing your back muscles, specifically your lats and rhomboids, along with your biceps and forearms. These muscles help with posture. They diminish slouching, pulling your shoulders back, and they protect your spine like armor.
Additionally, they make your back thicker and stronger, help sculpt your biceps, and can assist with more difficult exercises like pull-ups.
Having a strong back makes a world of difference in more than just aesthetics. It makes everyday performances easier and lessens the risk of injury doing manual tasks.
How to do Cable Close-Grip Lateral Pulldowns Correctly
Let’s get lifting! Here’s how to do lat pulldowns:
- First, adjust the knee pad on your Pegasus™ seat or Leg Roller Attachment to the proper height to ensure that you can pull the weight down without the weight instead pulling you up.
- Now set the weight stack to a relative warm-up weight for your strength. Trainer tip: Ease toward heavier weights without going gung ho right out the gate.
- Attach a close grip handle. Options include the basic Triangle Row or the Pro Series Triangle Row Attachment.
- Grab a close-grip cable handle. Keep your posture tight, slightly arching your back and keeping your shoulder blades engaged. Exhale as you pull down, and pull the handles to the top of your chest right below your chin.
- Focus on your spine between your shoulder blades and imagine crushing something between them as you engage your lats.
- A common mistake is pulling the handles too low, which puts unnecessary strain on the shoulders. Simply pull to the top of your chest and then control the weight on the way up without letting it jerk you upward.
- Then wash, rinse, and repeat through your set, gradually adding weight, depending on your goals.
Close-Grip Cable Pulldown Alternatives
In addition to close-grip cable pulldowns themselves, here are a few exercises that work similarly or lend themselves to the same muscular development.
- Close-grip pull-ups: Grab the pull-up bar with your hands close together and perform as many pull-ups as you can until your arms, your back, or your will to live gives out. These are often regarded as being harder than close-grip cable pulldowns, but they will definitely build the same back muscles with vigor.
- Single-hand pulldowns: Put a D-handle on the cable and perform one-arm pulldowns. Start with your non-dominant arm and complete your set before moving on to your dominant arm and matching reps. This will isolate the lat, bicep, forearm, and even oblique of one side of your body at a time and help with stabilizer muscles and control of the weight and movement.
- Close-grip cable rows: Seat yourself at 90 degrees, brace your feet, and using the same Triangle Handle you would for the pulldown, perform cable rows, pulling the handle to your stomach and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Close-Grip Rows vs. Close-Grip Lat Pulldowns
There have long been debates about which is better between seated rows and lat pulldowns, but the truth is the same as wide-grip vs. close-grip: They work together toward the same goals.
Rows, like pulldowns, work your lats, biceps, and forearms, though pulldowns lend themselves a bit more toward your biceps. And rows engage a bit more of your lower back, along with your lats and rhomboids.
Best Lat Pulldown Machines
REP offers a variety of options for lat pulldown machines:
- Lat Pulldown and Low Row attachment: If you have a power rack, there’s a lat pulldown cable attachment for you. You can find 1000, 4000, or 5000 Series cable attachments. Pick between selectorized (with a weight stack you adjust via a pin) or plate-loaded (which you adjust by adding weight plates).
- Ares™ cable machine attachment: This cable attachment affixes to a PR-4000 or PR-5000 power rack. It is a fully integrated functional trainer with a lat pulldown and low row feature.
- Adonis™ cable tower: If you don’t have a power rack and want to add a stand-alone cable tower that takes up minimal space, the Adonis™ functional trainer has a lat pulldown feature. Just make sure you also order the Pegasus™ seat attachment to have the best lifting experience.
Want more help? Check out this article about how to choose a cable machine.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, adding close-grip cable lat pulldowns into your routine will help strengthen and grow your upper back, creating a solid V-taper of muscle. They also build the might of your biceps and develop greater grip strength. They are a valuable asset to a well-rounded back workout.
