Lat Pulldown to Front

Starting position

1. Adjust the thigh pad so it holds your legs firmly against the seat.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders and sit down with straight arms.
3. Lean back slightly (10–20°), chest up, shoulders down.

Execution

1. Exhale and pull the bar to your upper chest, driving your elbows down and slightly back.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom and hold for a second.
3. Inhale and slowly let the bar go back up until your arms are fully straight and your shoulder blades spread.

Common mistakes

• Swinging your torso — momentum does the work instead of your back.
• Shrugging your shoulders to your ears — the traps take over and the lats do less.
• Pulling behind the neck — an awkward position for the shoulder joints; pull to your chest.
• Letting the bar fly up — you lose half of the work.

Beginner tips

• Think about driving your elbows down rather than bending your arms — the lats work harder.
• A wider grip loads the upper back more; a narrower one targets the lower lats.
• It's a good lead-in to pull-ups: once you can do 10–12 reps with about your body weight, try pull-ups.

Alternatives

• Pull-Ups — the same movement with your own body weight
• One-Arm Dumbbell Row — for a gym without a cable machine
• Inverted Rows — an easier version on the bar