Your latissimus dorsi (also known as your lats) are one of the most popular muscles not only in just the back, but in the ENTIRE BODY!!!
This is because by training your lats, you can effectively grow them which will create the signature V-Taper look that will not only make your back look aesthetic, but it will make YOUR ENTIRE physique look aesthetic too!
The MOST POPULAR lat exercise has to be the lat-pulldown, it is a classic movement that requires a lat machine that is created to help you train your lats, you can find these machines in basically EVERY GYM!
There is only 1 problem, when many people do the lat-pulldown exercise, they are not doing it properly. Many individuals complain that they are not feeling their lats being worked during the exercise nor do they feel their lats being sore the next day after the workout.
There are many common reasons why this can happen, and I'm going to go over these reasons and show you how to PROPERLY DO LAT-PULLDOWNS in order to take full advantage of the lat machine in order to grow aesthetic lats.
So join me in this comprehensive guide where I'll be showing you how to grow your lats by doing lat-pulldowns!
Table of Contents
Lat-Pulldown Machine Overview
The lat-pulldown machine is a machine that's only function is to train your latissimus dorsi (lats).
This machine can be found at practically any gym and is in my opinion the BEST lat workout that you can do to grow your lats!
This machine usually comes in a cable machine with the option to change out attachments based on the type of lat pulldown that you want to do (which will be discussed later in the article!).
Sometimes there are variations of a lat machine that can target the lats without the use of a cable. I sometimes like using these machines as they help me build my lats as well as keep the workout fresh!
Proper Technique for Lat-Pulldowns + Progressive Overload
Here is the MOST important part of the article, the PROPER technique for doing lat-pulldowns. This is where you will learn the best technique to engage your lats for muscle growth on lat-pulldowns.
Here is the step by step process + a video at the end on how to do lat-pulldowns properly at the end!
Pick a weight that can allow you to get 8-12 good reps with 1-2 reps in reserve
Control the Weight all throughout the movement (slower reps)
Stretch lats at the TOP of the movement before pulling them down (do this for every rep)
Pull the bar (or the attachment of your choice) down to the bottom of your chin or upper chest with only a SLIGHT lean back
Repeat this process!
Here is a great video on how to do great lat-pulldowns for visual purposes:
Progressive Overload:
Progressive overload is one of the foundations of muscle growth and strength.
Progressive overload is where you do more weight or reps than you did the last time doing the exercise. This applies to EVERY exercise and surely applies to the lat-pulldown.
By progressively increasing the the intensity of your workouts and the tension that is put on your lats, not only will you build muscle, but you will increase strength by a lot!
Common Mistakes With Lat-Pulldowns
There are MANY mistakes associated with doing lat-pulldowns, these mistakes can not only slow down your progress in the gym, but can also lead to injuries such a pulled lat.
It is super important to make sure that you are avoiding these mistakes when doing lat-pulldowns:
Swaying Back Too Much: By leaning/swaying back too much during the movement, not only are you not effectively targeting the lat muscles, but you are also not significantly hitting any other muscles.
Making Your Reps too Fast: By making your reps super fast, you are missing out on muscle growth as you would be missing out on the extra burn in your lats by doing slow reps. Also, by doing super fast reps you could potentially compromise your form/technique and this will lead to pulled lats.
Not Stretching your Lats at the Top of the Movement: By doing a short pause at the top of the movement in order to give your lats a good stretch, you can maximize muscle growth and prevent pulled lats. DON'T FORGET THE STRETCH!
Tighten your back during the exercise: One thing that helped me get maximum growth from lat-pulldowns was to keep my back tensed during the exercise. This allowed me to feel my lats more during the workout.
I made these mistakes when I first started lifting as well, we all make mistakes in the gym and in our lives, it's great to make mistakes as you can learn from them and become a better version of yourself!
Mind Muscle Connection with Lat-Pulldowns
Mind-muscle connection is a special connection that you have with your body when you are doing exercise.
This connection is where you visualize a certain body part getting worked when you are doing a movement for that body part. This is important for ALL muscles as it helps you focus more mentally and physically.
By establishing good mind-muscle connection you allow yourself to become more in tune with your body, for an exercise like lat pull-downs.
In order to establish this connection, visualize the fibers in the muscle being worked as you are doing the exercise, make sure you clear your head of distraction and really focus on the exercise!
Lat-Pulldown Attachments
There are MANY attachments that you can use while doing lat-pulldowns. (NOTE: These attachments can only be used on a cable lat machine).
Usually, the standard lat-pulldown bar seems to be the most popular as it is the classic attachment for lat-pulldowns.
However there are other attachments that can help hit different parts of the latissimus dorsi!
Close Grip Handle:
You can use the close grip handle to get a lower lat workout
It is great for the lat stretch at the top of the movement as well as for targeting the lower lats.
Wide Grip Handle:
The wide grip on the standard lat-pulldown bar can allow you to get a much better stretch
It hits the outer most part of the lat much better!
Hammer Grip Attachment:
This attachment has become a very popular as of recently.
Many people are saying that this attachment is the BEST for targeting the lat muscles!
Conclusion
In conclusion, becoming a lat-pulldown pro isn't only about pulling the bar down, but it's about engaging your back, your mind and your discipline. By maintaining proper technique and progressive overload, you will see yourself getting bigger and stronger!
In this guide we have covered the variations, the mental aspects and the technique of lat-pulldowns, by using these insights you will allow yourself to increase back strength and unlock the FULL benefit of the lat machine.
At the end of the day, consistency, good nutrition and good sleep is what will build muscle and what will make you closer to achieving your dream physique. Whether you're an advanced lifter or a beginner, let this guide serve as a reference in building bigger and stronger lats.
Thank you for reading and have a great back day!
Just a young man trying to bring fitness to the world!
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