Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown: how to do it right
In short: The wide-grip lat pulldown works the lats for width, with peak tension at mid-range, when your elbows pass shoulder level.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Sit with thighs locked under the pads, wide grip beyond shoulder width, thumbs pointing out.
- 2Brace the trunk, lift the chest slightly and set the shoulder blades down before pulling.
- 3Pull the bar to the top of your chest, leading with the elbows down and back.
- 4Control the return over the full range until your arms are almost fully extended, without relaxing the shoulders.
- 5Chain reps with no dead time: smooth, continuous movement, elbows always active.
The mistake to avoid
Don't lean back to pull with momentum.
Other common mistakes
- You pull with the biceps by bringing the bar too low: lead the movement with the elbows down to target the lats.
- You swing back to rip the load: keep the torso almost fixed and lighten up to stay strict at mid-range.
- You relax the shoulder blades at the top and shrug the shoulders to your ears: keep a slight active scapular depression throughout.
- You cut the return short at the top: go for almost full arm extension to respect the useful range.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Back (width)
- Supporting:
- Biceps
The lats are the prime mover, targeted on their upper and lateral fibers for the width effect. The teres major assists arm adduction. The rhomboids and middle trap stabilize the shoulder blades. The biceps brachii and brachialis flex the elbow in support.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Assisted Pull-Up Machine ›
- Single-Arm Kettlebell Bent-Over Row ›
- Close Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown ›
- TRX Wide Row ›
- Neutral-Grip Pull-Up ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Sit with thighs locked under the pads, wide grip beyond shoulder width, thumbs pointing out. Brace the trunk, lift the chest slightly and set the shoulder blades down before pulling. Lead the bar to the top of your chest with the elbows, then control the return until your arms are almost straight, with no dead time.
How low should I go?
Pull the bar to the top of your chest, then let it rise back up to almost full arm extension. Tension peaks at mid-range, when your elbows reach shoulder level: that zone builds width, don't cheat it with momentum. Go for the full range you can control, not the one you reach by wriggling.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel the lats, on the sides of your back. If you only feel your biceps, imagine you're bending the bar around your chest rather than pulling it down, and lead the movement with the elbows down. Slow down the pass through mid-range by one to two seconds, that's where width is earned.
How fast should I do the movement?
Brake the return of the bar upward over 2 to 3 seconds, where the lat lengthens. Above all, slow down the pass through mid-range, one to two seconds, that's where it pushes back the most. The pull is crisp but controlled, never with momentum.
How do I breathe?
Inhale at the top, arms straight. Exhale during the pull, as you pass the hard zone at mid-range. Keep the trunk braced and the pelvis stable under the pads so you don't compensate with the lower back.