Push-ups are a great exercise for strengthening the upper body and building muscle however, they’re also hard. They’re extremely difficult. In fact, a lot of individuals will quit after a few pull-ups, is the case, it can seriously derail the motivation to work out.
It’s a good thing that this is the time when the lat pull-down really comes to its full potential. It is akin as the pull-up, requiring your upper and mid-back muscles as well as your grip and arms however, you are in control over the weight you lift , and you can also reduce the pace to increase the size of your muscles quickly.
The name implies it is a pull-down that is aimed at the latissimus dorsi, the big, flat muscles in your mid back. Latissimus dorsi means broadest part of your back which highlights the importance of this movement to give you a back that is strong. A healthy back is crucial for a strong chest, which means the more you focus on pulling-downs of your lats, better prepared you’ll be make the most of bench press.
But, the pull-down of the lat is one of the most poorly executed moves in the fitness studio. It’s common to see people leaning backwards and pulling the bar toward their chest, using their body weight to begin the move. It’s not just that the lats don’t work effectively, but they’ll put additional strain on their lower back and pelvis. For the best results from this movement, your repetitions should be controlled and slow. Here’s how to make your pull-down lat form and do it right.
GOOD LAT PULL-DOWN FORM:
HOW TO PERFORM THE EXERCISE
Adjust the pad until it rests comfortably on your thighs , limiting movement. Take the bar in broad grip and look towards the future with your body upright. Take your shoulders back and lower the bar toward your chest. Make sure to squeeze your lats at the bottom of the exercise. Avoid the urge to lean back in order to help the move.
You’ll realize that grip strength is usually the first thing you let go of in most pull-ups, particularly with this type of lift, because gravity is causing all the blood flow drain from your arms. To ensure that your back is getting a good workout, lower the weight after your grip is gone so that you are able to continue the exercise and aim at a high repetition count that will test your muscles of the lat.
LAT PULL-DOWN VARIATIONS
Underhand lat pull-down
Change the grip you hold on the bar to ensure you hold the bar with your palms towards your body and your hands about shoulder width apart. When you switch the grip to an underneath one,, you make use of your biceps in the movement. This is also beneficial for taking some of the weight off your lats, especially if they’re exhausted at the end of a back exercise. While holding the bar using that underhand grip, lower it back to just below the chin level and keep your chest upright throughout. Take a break at the bottom of the motion, then pull the bar back up with control.
Lat pull-down with wide-grip
The bigger your grip the wider your grip, the more lats must be working during the workout. Your grip should be large even with the traditional variation of the lat pull-down however in this variation, you move your hands to the edges of the bar. The design is similar to the lat pull-down that is standard. Bring the bar to your upper chest, stop for a moment while squeeze your lats. Then, pull the bar up again under control.
Pull-down of the lat in a unilateral direction
This single-arm variant works every side of your body in a separate way it’s an excellent way to make sure that your more powerful side isn’t doing all pulling (or in this instance pulling) in the same way as the traditional exercise. Replace the bar on the machine by an handle, and then hold the bar with your palm away from the machine. Your palm should face your body while you pull the handle downwards, then slowly returning to the original position. Perform all the repetitions on one arm, and then switch to the next.
Straight-arm pull-down
It’s not easy to keep from over-using your arms muscles when performing the traditional pull-down exercise to make sure that you’re only focusing on your lats, do straight-arm versions. Make sure you stand up and place the bar in front of you , with your arms straight, and angled upwards about 15 degrees. The bar is pulled down until your thighs while keeping your arms straight. After that, slowly raise it up.
Close-grip lat pull-down for the triceps press-down
It’s not necessary to feel the burning in your triceps after an ordinary pull-down. If you’re experiencing it, then that you aren’t engaging your lats in the way you should. This variant of the exercise however, hits the upper arms in a brutal way. Keep your knees in front with your body straight. Keep a small bar in front of your head in an overhand grip with your palms in front. The bar should be pulled down with your hands, bringing the elbows toward your sides. Press the bar downwards with your elbows held by your sides. Return the movement to your starting position.