Demonstration
Watch the Form Demo
Technique
How to Do the Lat Pulldown
- Set the thigh pad snug and grip the bar overhand, slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Sit tall with your chest lifted and a very slight backward lean.
- Pull your shoulder blades down first, then drive the elbows down toward your ribs.
- Pull the bar to your upper chest.
- Squeeze the lats for a beat at the bottom.
- Let the bar rise under control until your arms are fully stretched overhead.
Anatomy
Muscles Worked
Do This
Form Cues
- Set the thigh pad snug so the hips stay down.
- Pull the bar to the upper chest by driving the elbows down.
- Let the arms straighten fully at the top of each rep.
- Think of pulling your elbows into your back pockets rather than pulling the bar with your hands.
Avoid This
Common Mistakes
- Leaning back so far that it becomes a row.
- Pulling the bar behind the neck.
- Cutting the top of the range short and never letting the lats stretch.
- Adding lean-back through the set to move heavier weight, which turns the pulldown into a bad row.
More to Explore
Variations & Related Exercises
Variations of this lift
Trains the same muscles
Assisted Chin-Up
Assisted Machine Pull-Up
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Rack Pull
Barbell Shrug
Barbell Upright Row
Put It Into Practice
Workouts Featuring This Lift
12-Week Strength Training Program
A twelve-week program to build maximal strength on the squat, bench, and deadlift. Three progressive four-week blocks take you from…
Read guide →
12-Week Workout Plan to Build Muscle
A complete twelve-week plan to build serious muscle, split into three progressive four-week blocks. Move from volume accumulation through hypertrophy…
Read guide →
2-Day Full Body Workout Plan
A time-efficient two-day full body plan for busy people. Two full-body sessions a week cover everything you need to build…
Read guide →
3-Day Beginner Glute Workout Plan
An 8-week beginner strength program with a lower body and glute emphasis. Build strength, develop muscle, and establish training habits…
Read guide →
3-Day Full Body Fat Loss Plan
Three full-body sessions per week built to hold onto muscle while you lose fat in a calorie deficit. Compound lifts…
Read guide →
3-Day Full Body Workout for Beginners
A classic 3-day barbell and dumbbell program built around the fundamental lifts. Three sessions a week, every major muscle group…
Read guide →
3-Day Push Pull Legs for Beginners
Your introduction to one of the most proven training splits in strength training. Three focused sessions per week, each targeting…
Read guide →
3-Day Split Workout
A classic three-day body-part split, chest and triceps, back and biceps, then legs and shoulders, that builds muscle on just…
Read guide →
4-Day Glute & Lower Body Plan
A four-day lower-body focused split built to grow the glutes, hamstrings, and quads, with enough upper-body work to stay balanced.…
Read guide →
4-Day Gym Fat Loss Program
Four days per week, upper/lower split, full gym. Built for the gap between beginner and intermediate where you are ready…
Read guide →
4-Day Lower Body Focus Program
A 4-day program that prioritizes lower body development while maintaining upper body strength. Two dedicated lower body sessions per week,…
Read guide →
4-Day Upper Lower Split
A four-day upper-lower split that trains your whole body twice a week across two upper and two lower sessions, one…
Read guide →
4-Day Upper Lower Split For Beginners
A 4-day program that trains your upper and lower body on separate days. More volume per session than full body…
Read guide →
4-Week Fat Loss Workout Plan
A focused four-week plan to kickstart fat loss. Four sessions a week combining full-body strength training with metabolic finishers to…
Read guide →
5-Day Fat Loss Training Split
An upper/lower split with a full body finisher. Five sessions per week for lifters who want more gym time during…
Read guide →
5-Day Gym Workout Split
The classic five-day bodybuilding split, one muscle group per day across chest, back, shoulders, legs, and arms, for maximum volume…
Read guide →
5-Day Push Pull Legs
A 5-day Push Pull Legs split built for intermediate lifters who want to train with high frequency and enough volume…
Read guide →
6-Day Push Pull Legs Plan
The classic high-frequency push/pull/legs split run six days a week. Each muscle group trained twice, high volume, built for advanced…
Read guide →
6-Week Beginner Workout Plan
The perfect six-week introduction to the gym. Three full-body sessions a week teach you the fundamental lifts with clear form…
Read guide →
6-Week Muscle Building Workout Plan
A six-week muscle building block on a four-day upper/lower split. Two three-week phases take you from higher-rep volume into heavier…
Read guide →
8-Week Barbell Fat Loss Program
A strength-first approach to fat loss. Three full body sessions per week built around the squat, deadlift, and overhead press,…
Read guide →
8-Week Bench Press Specialization Program
Eight weeks devoted to a bigger bench press. Heavy pressing, targeted triceps and upper-back work, and the volume day that…
Read guide →
8-Week Complete Beginner’s Workout Plan
Your 8-week roadmap to building a strong fitness foundation. No experience necessary, just consistency and a willingness to show up.
Read guide →
8-Week Deadlift Specialization Program
Eight weeks built around one goal: a bigger deadlift. Heavy pulling, targeted variations, and the posterior chain work that turns…
Read guide →
8-Week Full Body Strength Program
Three full-body sessions per week built around the squat, bench, deadlift, and overhead press. Low reps, heavy loads, long rests,…
Read guide →
8-Week Muscle Building Plan
Four days per week, upper/lower split, designed to build muscle in a calorie surplus. Compound lifts drive the session, isolation…
Read guide →
8-Week Squat Specialization Program
One goal: a bigger squat. Three squat sessions per week using high-bar, pause, and front squat variations alongside maintenance work…
Read guide →
Advanced 5-Day Muscle Building Program
Five days, five different sessions, maximum muscle. Push, pull, legs, upper, and lower body across a week designed for advanced…
Read guide →
Arnold Split Workout Plan
The classic three-day bodybuilding split made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger, pairing chest with back, shoulders with arms, and a dedicated…
Read guide →
Back and Biceps Workout
A classic back and biceps session that builds width and thickness through the back while training the arms that assist…
Read guide →
Beginner Gym Workout Plan
Your first structured gym plan: two simple full-body workouts, alternated across three days a week, that teach the core lifts…
Read guide →
Chest and Back Workout
A complete chest and back session that pairs pushing and pulling movements, training two big opposing muscle groups together for…
Read guide →
Fat Loss Workout Plan for Beginners
Your first structured fat loss plan. Three gym sessions per week using dumbbells and machines, active rest days to keep…
Read guide →
Glute and Strength Specialization Program
Three hip thrust sessions per week: heavy, moderate, and volume. An 8-week advanced glute block with targeted isolation work built…
Read guide →
Intermediate 3-Day Full Body Strength Program
A 3-day barbell strength program built around the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. Heavy loading on the primary…
Read guide →
Intermediate 4-Day Hypertrophy Program
A 4-day program built around hypertrophy principles: moderate to high rep ranges, controlled tempos, and progressive volume increases across two…
Read guide →
Intermediate Upper Lower Split
A 4-day upper lower split built for lifters with a solid foundation who are ready to train with real intensity.…
Read guide →
Pull Day Workout
The complete pull day: back, rear delts, and biceps in one focused session. Run it three times a week or…
Read guide →