Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
A pulldown with a V-bar and palms facing each other: a strong, shoulder-friendly grip with a long stretch for the lats.
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Muscles worked
Target
Also works
- Equipment
- Cable, Pulldown station, V-bar handle
- Level
- Beginner
- Tempo
- Lift 1 s · Lower 2 s
How to do the close-grip lat pulldown
- 1Clip a V-bar to the high pulley and sit with your thighs locked under the pad.
- 2Hold the handle with palms facing each other, arms straight overhead.
- 3Lean back slightly and pull the handle to your upper chest, driving the elbows down and in front of your body.
- 4Let the handle rise slowly until your arms are straight and you feel the lats stretch.
When to pick it: Pick it as your main vertical pull if a wide grip bothers your shoulders, or to load the lats with more weight.
What the research says
- Grip width matters less than people think: across overhand grips 1 to 2 times shoulder width, lat activation was similar, and the narrower grips lifted more weight than the wide one. Andersen V et al., J Strength Cond Res 2014
Form cues
- Elbows to your back pockets
- Chest rises to meet the handle
- Full stretch at the top
Common mistakes
- Leaning far back and turning it into a row
- Pulling with the arms and shrugging
- Cutting the stretch short at the top
Stop if something hurts, and check with a doctor before starting if you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury. SourcesTerms
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time. Get a full 4–12 week program →
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