What is the difference between close grip and wide grip lat pulldowns?

Close grip lat pulldowns emphasize the lower lats, inner back, and biceps due to the narrower hand position and more vertical pull path. Wide grip variations target the upper lats and outer back with less bicep involvement.

Should I use an underhand or neutral grip for close grip lat pulldowns?

Both grips are effective, with underhand allowing slightly greater bicep activation and neutral grip often feeling more comfortable on the wrists and elbows. Choose based on your comfort and which grip lets you feel your lats working best.

How low should I pull the handle on close grip lat pulldowns?

Pull the handle to your upper chest or collarbone level where you achieve peak lat contraction. Going lower than this typically reduces lat tension and can strain the shoulders without added benefit.

Close Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable)

The close grip lat pulldown is a cable exercise that uses a narrow grip attachment to emphasize the lower lats, inner back, and biceps. It suits lifters looking to build back thickness and improve pulling strength with greater bicep involvement than standard grip variations.

Muscle group: Back
Primary muscles: upper back, biceps
Equipment: Cable

Close Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) demonstration

How to do the Close Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable)

Attach a close grip handle to the cable pulley and sit facing the machine with your thighs secured under the pads.
Grasp the handle with both hands using a neutral or underhand grip, arms fully extended overhead.
Pull the handle down toward your upper chest by driving your elbows down and back, keeping your torso upright or slightly leaned back.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement, pausing briefly.
Control the handle back to the starting position with arms fully extended, maintaining tension throughout.

Form tips

Keep your chest up and avoid rounding your upper back to ensure your lats do the work instead of your arms taking over.
Focus on pulling with your elbows rather than your hands to maximize lat engagement and minimize excessive bicep dominance.
Avoid using momentum by controlling the eccentric phase and preventing your torso from rocking back and forth.

Common mistakes

Pulling the bar too far down past the chest reduces lat tension and shifts stress to the shoulders and lower back unnecessarily.
Leaning back excessively turns the movement into a row variation and reduces the vertical pulling stimulus for the lats.
Using a grip that is too narrow can limit range of motion and create uncomfortable wrist angles that detract from back activation.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy, perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps with moderate weight and controlled tempo. For strength, use 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps with heavier load while maintaining strict form.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between close grip and wide grip lat pulldowns?: Close grip lat pulldowns emphasize the lower lats, inner back, and biceps due to the narrower hand position and more vertical pull path. Wide grip variations target the upper lats and outer back with less bicep involvement.
Should I use an underhand or neutral grip for close grip lat pulldowns?: Both grips are effective, with underhand allowing slightly greater bicep activation and neutral grip often feeling more comfortable on the wrists and elbows. Choose based on your comfort and which grip lets you feel your lats working best.
How low should I pull the handle on close grip lat pulldowns?: Pull the handle to your upper chest or collarbone level where you achieve peak lat contraction. Going lower than this typically reduces lat tension and can strain the shoulders without added benefit.

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