Vertical pull exercise
Lat Pulldown
Build vertical pulling strength on the road to a first pull-up.
- Equipment
- Cable machine
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 30X1
Setup
Lat pulldown machine, thighs secured under the pad, hands wider than shoulders.
How to do it
- Sit tall with your chest up, then drive your elbows down and pull the bar to your upper chest.
- Control it back to full extension.
- Do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
- Never pull behind your neck, and do not lean back so far that it becomes a row.
Coaching cues
- Chest up, bar to the upper chest
- Drive the elbows down
- Full extension at the top
Common mistakes
- Leaning back excessively so it becomes a row
- Pulling behind the neck, which stresses the shoulder
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Heavy | 3 to 4 | 6 to 8 | 2 min |
| Size | Moderate | 3 to 4 | 10 to 15 | 90 sec |
Tempo 30X1: Take 3 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- Weighted Chin-UpBuild pulling strength relative to your bodyweight.
- Bench PressBuild maximal upper-body pressing strength.
- Incline Bench PressBuild pressing strength and shoulder-girdle mass at an upward angle.
- Dumbbell Bench PressBuild pressing strength with more range and less shoulder stress than a barbell.
- Strict Overhead PressBuild overhead strength and shoulder stability for lineout lifting.
- Push PressExpress overhead power using the legs, in the pattern closest to a lineout lift.