Make the Lat Pulldown Machine Useful

For the most part I’m not a big fan of weight machines, but lat pulldowns are pretty good.

Especially with the neutral grip bar….

Thats my online client Nate Dog…doing lat pulldown, nothing special here, just needed a good video and he does a good job.

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Fun Fact: Almost every weight machine was produced to replicate a barbell movement.

Yeah, I know body builders like them.

Yeah, I know that sometimes they do give you a different “feel” and hit the muscle better than a/ the barbell equivalent. <—— Pec Deck: the arms straight kind does make my “inner pecs” burn more, I know, Brosciecne/ meatheadness abounds, but it does.

But I also know that unless you’re Jay Cutler (not the Bears quaterback), you should worry less about the separation of your upper abs and lower pecks and more about the fact that you weigh 200lbs and squat 135lbs, to quarter depth with a Tampon on the bar, and plates under your heels.

The “other” Jay Cutler 

But sometimes those machines can serve a purpose and it’s not always the one intended.

How to Make the Lat Pulldown More Awesome:

Which I know is a low barrier to get over…but, what the hell.

This machine can kinda sorta sometimes be a Glute Ham Raise in disguise. Edit: this is not always the case but works out ok in about 80% of cases.

And everyone needs a stronger ass  posterior chain (hamstrings, glute, errectors).

Hamstring Killers:

Key Points:

• Make sure you’re locked into the machine
• Abs and glutes turned ON the whole time
• “uncoil” from the knees keeping tension on the hamstrings.
• Maintain a straight line the whole time
• Try not to rely on the bar 100%
• Pull yourself up using the hamstrings and glutes

Modified GHR:

Key Points:

• Make sure you’re locked into the machine
• Abs and glutes turned ON the whole time
• “uncoil” from the knees keeping tension on the hamstrings.
• Maintain a straight line the whole time
• Give as little push-off the floor as possible

Yeah, I know there are people who don’t even have to touch the floor, they just pull themselves back up.

Like this:

I’m not that cool….that’s actually pretty awesome.

Back Extensions:

Key Points:

• Make sure you’re locked into the machine
• Abs and glutes turned ON the whole time
• Hinge from the hips NOT the low back
• Press your hips into the pad and forcefully squeeze the glutes to pull yourself up
• Don’t crank on the low back and overextend at the top

Back Extension Holds:

 Key Points:

• Make sure you’re locked into the machine
• Abs and glutes turned ON the whole time
• Press your hips into the pad and forcefully squeeze the glutes to keep yourself up.
• It’s ok to round over through the thoracic spine as long as that’s to keep the abs turned on hard.

The Lat Pulldown machines other use(s):

Core Holds:

Key Points:

• Make sure you’re locked into the machine
• Abs need to be tight the whole time.
• If you need to round the thoracic spine to get the core to activate fully, that’s cool.

Ohhhh yeah, you can do lat pulldowns, those can be cool too.

 Narrow Grip Lat Pulldown:

Straight arm Lat Pulldown: