Level up your back game, and build your best back ever with close grip lat pulldowns

The close grip lat pulldown is one of the best exercises to develop a robust back. This upper body staple exercise is productive and safe for the shoulder muscles, too.

The overhand and wide grip lat pulldown are also some well-known back exercises. However, close grip pull down allows exercisers to pull through a more massive range of motion without risking the internal rotation movement of the shoulders.

Regular practice of the close grip lat pulldown helps add shape and size to the back while giving a result-worthy upper body workout.

---

Close grip lat pulldown muscles worked

The close grip lat pulldown targets the entire back muscles. (Photo via Pexels/Scottweb)

The close lat pulldown primarily targets the muscles of the back, including:

• mid back
• latissimus dorsi
• teres major and minor
• trapezius
• rhomboids
• scapular stabilizing muscles

Additionally, it strengthens the core muscles by working on the abdominals and targets the forearm muscles, too. These include the biceps brachii, brachioradialis and the brachialis muscles.

---

How to do the close grip lat pulldown?

The close grip lat pulldown activate the rhomboids. (Photo via Pexels/Amar Preciado)

The close grip lat pulldown isn’t a difficult exercise and is suitable for beginners and advanced exercisers alike. However, you just need to be careful with your form and keep the movements slow and controlled to avoid shoulder injuries and strain.

Here’s a step-by-step instruction on how to do this back-strengthening exercise correctly:

Step 1: Sit within the machine with your back straight and core muscles engaged.

Step 2: Stretch your arms overhead, and hold the bar with your hands set slightly close to shoulder-width distance.

Step 3: Contract your core muscles, and make sure the scapula is alongside your elbows.

Step 4: Once you're settled, pull the bar downwards while moving your elbows towards the sides of your torso. Do not over-rotate the shoulder muscles or excessively flare out your elbows to the sides.

Step 5: Continue to lift the bar till it gets below your chin.

Step 6: Reverse the movement by extending your arms back upwards, and complete the repetition.

Step 7: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of reps.

The close grip lat pulldown isn’t a complicated exercise, but there are some mistakes you need to watch out for, like:

Avoid pulling the weight too low

Do not pull the weight too low. (Photo via Freepik/Racool_studio)

While the bar needs to be pulled down till it reaches the chin, it shouldn’t be pulled beyond that. Pulling it too low can put unnecessary stress on the forearms and shoulders and cause pain.

Moreover, the back muscles are no longer activated when the bar is pulled beyond the chest.

Avoid using momentum

Keep in mind that using momentum to pull down the bar doesn’t help develop back strength; instead, it compromises your form and targets all the wrong muscles.

To avoid using momentum, reduce the weight, and try to keep your back stable while pulling the bar down to increase tension on the back.

Avoid using your arms excessively

Always remember that the close grip lat pulldown is a back-targeting movement and not a bicep exercise. So, to enhance back activation, minimize arm movement, and focus on moving your back.

---

Anyone can benefit from doing the close grip lat pulldown, especially if your goal is to develop a strong mid-back muscle. Practicing this exercise regularly not only targets the back but also enhances rhomboid activation and protects the shoulder muscles from injuries.

To maximize the results, though, you need to be very careful of your form, and ensure that each movement is done correctly. Moreover, you must also start with a lower weight and focus on improving your form first.

If you're a beginner, it's best to do this exercise under a trained fitness trainer who can guide you in every step. Once you've mastered the exercise, incorporate lat pull down variations in your workout to challenge your muscles more.