Repeat for the designated number of reps. Chin Up. Set the cable high up and sit down on the floor. These distances will ensure that you develop the width and fullness of the . Attach a V-bar attachment to a lat pulldown or cable pulley machine. Begin pulling yourself upwards until your chin passes the bar. The wide grip lat pulldown can help build you a wider back. Lat Pulldown Alternatives With Dumbbells 3. Dumbbell Pullover After the bodyweight movements above, the next step is to bring in some free weights for some open-chain lat action. Many people tend to stick with one lat pulldown variation without changing it up. Banded Straight Arm pulldown The 13 best lat pulldown alternatives are: High Row Machine Lat Pullover Machine Narrow Grip Row Machine Single Arm Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Pullover Single Arm Cable Pulldown Straight Arm Pulldown Cable Row Banded Pulldown Banded Straight Arm Pulldown Pull Up Eccentric Pull Up Inverted Row If you want to enhance the diameter of your back and improve general upper body strength, the wide grip width variant is a fantastic alternative. All these exercises and more are outlined in this article. The exercise can be performed conveniently at home. Grab the bar* just outside shoulder width grip with an overhand grip. The exercise will appear similar and require similar movements. If you enjoyed the close grip lat pulldown, check out these back exercises to improve your upper body training: 1. Towel rows Final Thoughts Muscles Used During V Bar Pulldown Close Grip Lat Pulldown Alternatives. Dumbbell Pullovers It is achieved by the exerciser utilizing an underhand grip while pulling their elbows closer to the sides of the torso, vastly increasing biceps brachii . This lat pulldown alternative isolates one side of the back and lat muscles and is one of the best exercises for replicating one arm pull ups. Incline Dumbbell Row 2. Credit: Wood Water Wall / Shutterstock. Straight Arm Pulldown 5. The former uses a v-bar handle whereas the latter uses a straight bar handle. Kneeling cable lat pulldown. Pronated narrow grip. Simply stated, the wide grip lat pulldown is a beneficial exercise suitable for anyone of any fitness level. Though it mostly works the large latissimus dorsi muscles in the mid back, as a heavy compound movement, it also brings many other muscles into play, such as the biceps, rhomboids and . The chest-supported incline dumbbell row provides a great alternative to the lat pulldown as it prevents the need to use your core for bracing. Its only noticeable difference is the use of a pronated (overhand) grip rather than the reverse. Method Begin by setting a bench to a 45-degree angle But, instead of lifting actual weight, you have to lift your bodyweight. Don't hunch your back or neck as you move. 3. With resistance bands coming in varying levels of strength, it means the banded lat pulldown can . Put your hips back and keep your back straight as you bend down. Lat Pulldown Alternatives. Slowly return to the starting position. This is a perfect alternative to close grip lat pulldown basically because it assumes a similar movement. The lat pulldown is a very effective exercise for adding width to . The wider grip gives you room to pull more vertically while maintaining a more upright torso angle. Lat Pull-Down Alternative Exercises. To do the dumbbells wide grip pulldown properly, follow the instructions below; Holding a pair of dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet at hip-width distance apart. The article also guides you on the lat pulldown alternatives that you can choose. Make sure you squeeze your shoulders together and feel . 1. For that reason, they are also a lot harder than regular pull ups. The lat pulldown is something of a staple in bodybuilding and strength athletics, with pro and commercial gyms around the world catering for it. How to Do a Lat Pulldown (With Proper Form) Step 1 - Grasp the bar and take a seat. Lat pull-down alternatives are great because you are forcing each side of your body to w. Part of the series: Unique Workout Tips. For this tutorial, we're going to sit on the floor. The strict pull-up is a viable alternative to the lat pulldown. 9 Best Alternatives to Lat Pulldowns Whether you want to switch things up to better develop your lats, lat pulldowns are really hitting well for you, or you simply don't have access to a lat pulldown machine, here are the best alternatives you can do. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 2. V Bar Pulldown Alternatives 1. Reasons to choose a lat pulldown alternative. After a quick pause at the bottom of the rep, slowly bring the bar back up to the starting position. Each of these exercises has its own set of pros and cons that should be considered before choosing which exercise to do. It is the starting position. 2. 2. This movement is similar to a wide grip pulldown except now, instead of the path of resistance coming from straight above, it is coming in from an angle. Step 2 - Slightly arch your back and pull the bar straight down. There are some variations of the lat pulldown exercise including the close-grip pulldown, wide-grip pulldown, reverse-grip (supination) pulldown, and neutral-grip pulldown (to name a few). BANDED CLOSE GRIP LAT PULLDOWN Pronated wide grip. The reverse grip lat pulldown, unlike other lat pulldown variants, can be performed with nearly any bar attachment, such as the standard pull-up bar attachment or the straight bar attachment. Some of the most common lat pulldown alternatives include reverse-grip lat pulldowns, chin-ups, and lat pullovers. They include: Supinated narrow grip. Band-Assisted Pull-Ups 3. How To Do A Close Grip Lat Pulldown Grasp the bar firmly with both hands Lock your knees under the pads to prevent your body from coming off the seat Start with your arms stretched straight above you, your back straight, and your chest out Pull the bar down towards your chest while keeping your elbows directly under your hands There are five different grip options on the ol' lat pulldown bar. The wide grip lat pulldown is the most lat-dominant pulldown variation. 1. When you perform a close grip lat pulldown with a neutral grip, it engages the brachialis muscle in your upper arms. This wide grip lat pull-down without a machine works the lats, shoulders, arms, and back muscles. Close Grip Lat Pulldown Alternative at Home or the Gym If you're hoping to work on the muscles we discussed earlier but would try another form of exercise, check out our list of alternatives: 1. There are a couple different ways of doing lat pulldowns. The kneeling cable lat pulldown is a great alternative to the neutral grip pull-up because it targets the lats and biceps to a great degree. Ensure your hands are fully extended in front of you. How to Do Archer Pull Ups? The most obvious alternative to the reverse grip lat pulldown is the overhand lat pulldown. V-Bar . Begin by grasping the bar with your palms facing you, and your hands spaced shoulder-width apart. #3 Alternating Lat Pulldown You can also work your lats unidirectionally using the pulldown of alternate lats, with two handles that you pull one down at one time. 1. Keep your lower body in a still . These lat pulldown exercises are great alternatives you can use without a machine to build massive lats and insane upper body pulling strength. Raise your chest and tighten your core. Lean forward at the hip until your torso is slightly above being paralell with the floor. Take a deep breath. My only suggestion for this exercise is to try it with either a mid or wide grip. To do this exercise, start by placing a barbell in a landmine or corner and load it with weight. Reverse-grip lat pulldowns are a great alternative for those who want to focus on building bigger, stronger lats. Kneeling Cable Crossover Lat Pulldowns are a great lat pulldown alternative that can be done with cable pulley machines. Engage your chest leaning your torso back to create a curve on your back. Close Grip Pulldown With Resistance Band 6. Here are ten lat pulldown alternative exercises to try! Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold two dumbbells in each hand. Or make do with whatever you have. Pull-up Okay, you probably all saw this coming. Check out our top 3 favourite free weight lat pulldown alternatives: #1 Quadruped Birddog Single Arm Dumbbell Row This is probably the hardest exercise to get right, but the most effective exercise for developing total body strength and balance. Pull-ups, which are done with an overhand grip, and chin-ups, which use an underhand grip, work the same muscles as pulldowns. It is a powerful tool for building a wide, strong upper back. If you don't have a pullup bar at home, you can pick up an inexpensive doorway pullup bar. Close grip lat pulldowns are performed either with a neutral grip or a supinated grip. It's a bigger lift that works both your biceps and upper back. Some of the exercises that are listed below the close grip pulldown, pullovers, incline dumbbells rows, and more.The exercises target similar muscles as the lat pulldown. . It still effectively targets the lats, but it also works the rhomboids, traps, biceps, forearms, and teres minor/major. The exercise uses a band to create resistance, which means it is great for exercising at home or whilst traveling, as well as in the gym. Lat Pull Down Variations Wide-Grip Lat Pull-Down. 10 No-Equipment Lat Pulldown Alternatives. T-Bar Rows. The main difference is that a pull-up moves your body whereas a pulldown moves the bar. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: Alternatives. Chin Up Begin by grabbing the bar with your palms facing towards you and your hands shoulder width apart. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by all the anatomy vocab so far, don't sweat it, I will break them each down one by one. Then, place your feet on either side of the barbell and bend forward at the waist. Close Grip Pulldown Muscles Worked. Adjust the knee pad so your knees are bent at 90 degrees and firmly under the pad and your feet are flat on. Cue 2: Sit on the floor with straight arms and tilt back until you are about at a 45-degree angle. The more popular way of doing lat pulldowns is with a wider, overhand grip, though. If you enjoyed the close grip lat pulldown, check out these back exercises to improve your upper body training: Chin Up. Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups. This will still train the trapezius, rhomboids, and biceps alongside the lats, but it will activate them to a lesser degree compared to a close grip variation. Supinated medium grip. That being said, you will also create more muscle fibres which will lead to more strength. The lat pulldown is an exercise where you can change up the grip you're using in order to target various muscles. Biceps/Brachialis. One Arm Row 3. It also doesn't require a gym to perform the exercise, with doorway pull-up barscosting around $30. Placing your hands at a distance slightly closer than your shoulder width, hold the pulldown bar using a supinated or underhand grip so that the palms face your torso. Place your thighs under the pads and ensure a snug, comfortable fit.