#Pull Down Vs Row

Most people think they’re training back here… but end up just feeling the weight with their arm. A good lat pulldown starts before your elbow even bends. 💙 Think about pulling your shoulder down and away from your ear first and tuck it in, then drive your elbow toward your hip. That’s what brings the lat into the movement instead of letting the biceps take over. 💙 Don’t just let the cable pull you back up. Control it and feel the stretch through your lat before the next rep. If you feel it mostly in your arms, it’s usually a sign you’re rushing the pull or losing shoulder position. Remember the aim is to train the muscle, not just move weight

Lat Pull Down 🧚‍♀️ Primary focus: the lats … which means we need to be in the right position for our body to actually train them A lot of fitness content speaks in absolutes: “You HAVE to do X to get Y.” But real training has variables: body proportions, joint structure, and even the equipment itself Today’s example: standard gym equipment Not all lat pull downs are built the same 💔 Many people say you have to tuck tightly under the seat to anchor and pull the most weight. That can work.. but only if the machine and your proportions allow it. On this lat pull down, the arms extend pretty far out For me to: • clear the bar past my head • pull in a true vertical plane • and actually bias the lats I need to sit slightly farther back on the seat If I sat more forward or leaned back more, the movement would shift into a row pattern, emphasizing more upper back (traps and rear delts) instead of lats. TLDR: The goal isn’t copying positions, it’s aligning your body with the resistance to train the intended muscle 🤓☝🏼

Technique Tuesday 💪 | Lat Pulldown Breakdown Not all lat pulldowns hit your back the same way—your attachment changes the muscle emphasis 👇 🔹 Wide Grip: Targets the upper lats and helps build back width. Great for that V-taper look. 🔹 Neutral Grip: Emphasizes the mid-lats and upper back, allowing a stronger pull and better shoulder positioning for most lifters. 🔹 Close Grip: Shifts focus toward the lower lats while increasing biceps involvement—ideal for back thickness and strength. 🔹 Single Arm: Improves muscle imbalances, core engagement, and mind-muscle connection, allowing you to fully lengthen and contract each lat individually. Same machine. Different results. Train with intention 👊 #TechniqueTuesday #AnytimeFitness

I prefer free motion cables over the traditional lat pulldown because: • Each side works independently • Less momentum, more control • Better lat engagement (not just arms) Elbows to back pockets, slow on the negative, control every rep. If you’ve never actually felt your lats working… that’s your sign to try this!

Lat pulldown hack 💪 Start 10–20 lbs heavier than normal. Hang. Shrug. Feel your lats and traps wake up. Drop to your usual weight and crush your reps. Feels amazing and sets the movement up perfectly. 🔥 #latpulldown #shrug #coach

✨Form Friday✨ Lat pulldown 💪 ⭐️Select weight ⭐️Adjust knee rest to optimal height to lock yourself in and prevent you from lifting off the seat when the weights go up ⭐️Relax shoulders and engage lats ⭐️Keep your chest proud and core engaged ⭐️Pull the bar down to your chest, driving with your elbows, squeezing your lats ⭐️Pause for a second and then slowly reset Tip: pretend you've got oranges under your armpits you're trying to squeeze 🍊🧃 Let me know how you go💪

Are you pulling with your arms… or your back? The lat pulldown is a vertical pulling exercise that is targeting the lats!! It’s such an important exercise to not only create back width BUTTT also improve upper-body pulling strength. So if you want to be able to do a pull up…this should be your go to movement 😉 When performing this exercise you want to begin the initial lift by depressing your scapula downwards and back then slightly lean backwards and DRIVE your elbows down toward your ribs as you pull the bar towards your chest. I like to think of that I’m “bending” the bar by driving my pinky and outside of my hand into the bar to get better lat engagement. Give this a test and lemme know how those lats grow! #back #latpulldown #trainingtips #personaltraining #explorepage

Lat pulldown ≠ biceps pulldown🚫 If you feel this more in your arms than your back… this is why 👀 • Use a C-grip, not a full clasp → reduces biceps takeover • Set the scaps back and down first → puts the lats in a strong position • Drive elbows toward your ribs → matches the lats’ line of pull • Control the pull → increases time under tension where it matters • Full stretch at the top → better lat activation and growth Comment “LATS” if you want to learn more about building your hourglass body ⌛️ Follow for more👇🏼

I call this an upper back pulldown—not a lat pulldown because when it’s executed correctly, it biases the upper back far more than the lats. Elbow path matters.
Range matters.
Execution matters. Full tutorial with a deeper breakdown is on my YouTube.
 And if you’re training with me inside UPLIFT, this kind of education is part of the program! Save this for your next pull day.

Lat pulldown not free? Well, if you’re still wanting to perform a vertical pull/hit the lower portion of your lat, any of these alternatives will do a great job! Ideally we want to stick to the same exercise in order to track progress.. but, if you have to swap it out from time to time, due to how busy the gym can be (especially in January), then that’s okay. I always give clients alternatives, in order for them to have a smooth gym session, so they don’t feel like they’re always waiting for equipment.. If you want an easy to follow gym plan, hit the link, in my bio.. Each exercise has an alternative, and it’s very easy to follow! Alternatively, DM me for coaching 🤭 20% OFF COACHING - Ends Saturday.

Struggling to create that hourglass shape? Give these lat pulldown tips a go on your next session 💪🏼

Try this stright arm lat pull down. This movement isolates your lats and builds serious back strength without overusing your biceps. Slow and controlled is the key here.