Seated machine pulldown where you pull the handles down toward the upper chest, primarily working the latissimus dorsi (lats) of the back.
How to do the Machine Lat Pulldown#
- Sit and press your thighs firmly under the knee/leg pads to lock your lower body in place.
- Reach up and take the handles with an overhand (pronated) grip about shoulder-width apart.
- Exhale and pull the handles down in a controlled arc until they meet your upper chest.
- Pause briefly and contract your lats at the bottom of the movement.
- Inhale and slowly return the handles to the start until your arms are nearly straight and the lats lengthen.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Lats (Latissimus Dorsi)
- Secondary: Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius), Biceps (Biceps Brachii), Forearms (Forearm Flexors & Extensors (incl. Brachioradialis))
Common mistakes#
- Leaning back excessively and turning the pull into a torso-driven motion.
- Using momentum or jerky movements instead of a controlled tempo.
- Pulling the bar behind the neck instead of to the front of the chest.
- Failing to secure the legs under the pads, allowing the body to rise during the pull.
- Not fully returning to an extended arm position, reducing the stretch of the lats.
