Fysiqal

Vertical Pull · Beginner

Lat Pulldown (wide pronated grip)

Compound vertical pull exercise using cable, machine.
Lat Pulldown (wide pronated grip) demonstration (no audio).
Movement pattern
Vertical Pull
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Cable, Machine
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Frontal

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How to do the Lat Pulldown (wide pronated grip)

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Sit with thighs secured under the pad, grip the bar wider than shoulder-width, arms extended overhead.

  1. Scapular depression & adduction together is a deliberate technique for optimal lat engagement on pulldowns/pull-ups — not automatic. The pull completes without it; depressing and retracting the shoulder blades increases the muscle's effective force angle. Cue it explicitly.

  2. Pull the bar down toward your upper chest, driving your elbows down and out to the sides.

  3. Lead with your chest slightly up and back rather than pulling with your arms alone.

  4. Return under control to a full arm extension before the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back excessively to use body English instead of pulling with the back.

  • Pulling the bar behind the neck -- a real shoulder-impingement risk not worth the minor difference in feel.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Shoulder adductionprimary action

    Latissimus dorsi (prime mover, high emphasis); Teres major (synergist, high emphasis); Pectoralis major (synergist, low emphasis); Posterior deltoid (synergist, moderate emphasis)

  • Elbow flexionsecondary action

    Brachialis (synergist, moderate emphasis); Biceps brachii (synergist, moderate emphasis); Brachioradialis (synergist, low emphasis)

  • Scapula depressionsecondary action

    Trapezius (synergist, moderate emphasis); Rhomboids (stabilizer, low emphasis)

  • Scapula downward rotationsecondary action

    Rhomboids (synergist, low emphasis); Pectoralis minor (synergist, low emphasis); Trapezius (synergist, low emphasis)

Related exercises

All vertical pull exercises →

From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.