Wide-grip lat pulldown

The wide grip shortens the range but emphasises humeral adduction, which is the lat’s most characteristic function. It complements the neutral pulldown rather than replacing it.

• Compound
• Cable
• Beginner

How to do it

• Hands clearly outside the shoulders
• Chest tall with a slight thoracic extension
• Drive the elbows towards your sides, not backwards
• Let it back up resisting until the lat is fully stretched

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 8–12 reps · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Pull for 1–2 s, squeeze at the top and lower for 2–3 s resisting the load

Common mistakes

• A grip so wide the range comes down to nothing
• Leaning the torso back to get the bar lower
• Pulling the bar behind the neck

Muscles worked

Primary

• Lats

Secondary

• Back
• Biceps
• Rear delt

Alternatives

• Lat Pulldown
• Neutral / Close-Grip Pulldown
• Wide-Grip Pull-Up