Using the Lat Pulldown

Lateral pulldowns are one workout that many women avoid or do not know how to do properly. Do you use a wide grip or a narrow grip? Do you pull the bar down to your thighs or do you stop when your elbows are at 90 degrees? Trust me, I used to be the same way!

That is why I am here to tell you how to properly do lat pulldowns! And there is more than one right way to do this workout. But first, I want to talk about building muscles.

A lot of girls don’t realize (I never used to either) that if you want to look toned in regular clothes you have to lift heavy in the gym. My muscles always look big when I’m lifting but then when I’m in my regular clothes it just looks nice and toned and not bulky at all. If you want to look toned don’t be afraid to lift heavy.

Lat pulldowns are a great way to build muscle in your arms, shoulder, and back. So, if you are trying to build these areas and get them looking toned, try these different methods and remember, lift heavy!

The Wide Grip

Using a wide grip is the proper form for a lat pulldown. But it is really easy to make mistakes when doing this workout! Some of the most common mistakes are:

• Using only your arms to pull the bar down
• Pulling the bar too low
• Holding the bar too wide

When you do a wide grip lat pulldown, you should have your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. It is easy to hold the bar too wide and too narrow. So, try to hold it just outside your shoulder width!

Something you will learn quickly when you use the right form is that this workout will work your back muscles, the muscles around your underarms near your bra strap. So, when you do this workout, make sure you are using and tightening your back muscles, not your arms! This is a mistake that ladies often make, I have made it a few times myself.

When you pull the bar down (using your back muscles) you will want to make sure you are not pulling it down too far! Stop just under your chin or at your chest, not when you reach your stomach! You will see men and women making this mistake, but now you know to avoid it.

The Reverse Grip

This is a version of the lat pulldown that you will not commonly see, but if you do not want to build those underarm back muscles, then doing reverse grip lat pulldowns is a great way to work your back without building those muscles. This is a workout that can help you get that sexy back!

For a reverse lat pulldown, your hands will be about shoulder width apart and your palms will be facing you. Keep your shoulders down and back as you pull the bar down and stop at your chin. This works the same muscle groups, but closer to the spine, so you won’t have those big muscles around your underarms.

I wanted to help all you ladies learn how to correctly do a lat pulldown so that you can build your back muscles and kill it in a backless dress!

I hope this helped! You can learn more and get my workout routine now!

Natalie