Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
A cable back exercise using a wide overhand grip to pull a bar down toward your chest. The wide grip is a classic way to build width across the back.
How to do the wide-grip lat pulldown
- Sit at a pulldown station with a wide bar attached to the top pulley and your knees secured under the pads.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip wider than shoulder width and lean back slightly, chest up.
- Pull the bar down toward your upper chest by driving your elbows down and back.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together once the bar reaches your chest.
- Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
- Let the bar rise back up slowly under control to a full stretch, then repeat.
Original library instructions (6 steps)
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
- As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
- After a second at the contracted position squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back too far to use body weight instead of your back muscles to pull the bar down.
- Pulling with the forearms alone instead of driving the elbows down and back.
- Letting the bar snap back up quickly between reps; control the weight the whole way up.
- Using a grip so wide it feels unstable; a moderate wide grip is usually more comfortable and just as effective.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 60 to 90 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, 45 to 60 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Try saving this exercise in a GymPilot workout once you find a bar path and grip width that feels comfortable.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the wide grip lat pulldown good for beginners?
Yes. It is a common introduction to vertical pulling for the back, and beginners can control the weight more easily than a bodyweight pull up.
What muscles does the wide grip lat pulldown work?
It mainly targets the back, with the biceps and shoulders assisting as you pull the bar down toward your chest.
