Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown
What you'll gain
Neutral forearms keep the shoulder out of full internal rotation.
Comfortable grip for lifters with wrist or elbow sensitivity.
Delivers lat activation comparable to pronated pulldown grips.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Clip a V-bar or parallel handle onto the high pulley of a pulldown station.
- 2
Sit down and lock your thighs under the pad.
- 3
Take the handle with palms facing each other and straighten your arms.
- 4
Pull your shoulder blades down and keep your chest tall.
- 5
Draw the handle to your upper chest with your elbows tracking close to your ribs.
- 6
Return slowly until your arms are fully extended and repeat.
Common Mistakes
Rocking the torso back and forth, which turns the pulldown into a partial row.
Shrugging at the start, so the upper traps absorb the load before the lats.
Curling the handle down with the arms, which makes the biceps the limiting factor.
Cutting the top of the range short, which removes the loaded lat stretch.
About This Exercise
Swapping a straight bar for a V-bar or parallel handle puts the forearms in a neutral position, so the shoulder stays out of full internal rotation through the pull. Setup otherwise matches a standard pulldown: depress the shoulder blades, then flex the elbows and extend the shoulders until the handle reaches the upper chest. EMG comparisons across seven pulldown variants found no significant difference in latissimus dorsi activation between grips, while neutral and narrow grips raise biceps involvement. In a product this clip is the accessibility variant of the lat pulldown. It belongs in cable machine filters, in shoulder-friendly swap lists for users with an impingement history, and in grip-variation content showing pronated, supinated and neutral pulls from one mannequin.
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A cable pulldown pulled on a V-bar with palms facing each other, keeping the shoulders and wrists neutral.
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Specifications
Built for
- Cable machine equipment filter in a gym app.
- Shoulder-friendly swap list for users with an impingement history.
- Grip-variation series alongside wide and underhand pulldowns.
- Vertical pull slot in beginner strength templates.
Muscles Worked
Details
License Includes
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