The rope lat pulldown machine is the most important equipment for training the back muscles! In the high pull-down, the trapezius, teres major, teres minor, rhomboids, biceps, and brachioradialis of the back are also trained at the same time. If your gym doesn't have such equipment or someone else is using it, the power rack can also be used for high pull-downs, but you need to adjust the pulley height and change the handle.
The biggest feature of the high pull-down action is: safety, high efficiency, and strong applicability; because of this action, whether it is a beginner who is weak in the latissimus dorsi and cannot do pull-ups (the weight starts from 5 kg, it can be done step by step), or it is relatively Thin friends (adjustable to a slightly heavier load than body weight), or even more advanced god-level bodybuilders (variable angles, multi-stimulation, adjustable weight) are very suitable.
The high-position pull-down is divided into wide-grip, narrow-grip, positive-grip, reverse-grip and other postures. Which posture stimulates the latissimus dorsi the most and has the best training effect?
Wide-grip pull-down
The Difference: A wide-grip rope high pull-down with your palms facing forward on the bar has a better focus on your upper back muscles, so it's better for adding width to your upper back.
How to do it: Hold the handle of the straight bar with your palm facing forward, more than shoulder-width apart. Sit on the seat plate of the high drop machine with your knees under the leg press. In the starting position of the movement, the arms are fully extended above the head and the torso is perpendicular to the ground. Under the guidance of the elbow joint, use the strength of the back muscles to pull the handle down until the handle touches the upper chest. Then, maintaining full control of the weight, slowly return to the starting position.
Wide neutral grip pull down
The Difference: This grip makes the high pull-down closer to a rowing motion, thus adding width and thickness to the back muscles at the same time.
How to do it: Attach a wide (shoulder-width or slightly wider) pair of grip handles to the end of the cable on the high pull-down machine, holding both ends of the handle with your palms facing each other. Sit on the seat plate of the high drop machine with your knees under the leg press. In the starting position of the movement, the arms are fully extended above the head and the torso is perpendicular to the ground. Lean back slightly with your torso and, under the guidance of your elbows, use your back muscles to pull the handle down until the handle touches your upper chest. Then, maintaining full control of the weight, slowly return to the starting position.
Reverse grip high pull down
The Difference: Unlike a palm-forward grip, a high pull-down with a palm-back grip focuses on the lower back muscles. Many people lack width and thickness in their lower backs, and the reverse-grip high pull-down can improve those weaknesses.
How to do it: Hold the bar handle with your palms facing back, less than shoulder-width apart. Sit on the seat plate of the high drop machine with your knees under the leg press. In the starting position of the movement, the arms are fully extended above the head and the torso is perpendicular to the ground. Lean back slightly, and with the elbows leading, use the strength of the back muscles to pull the handle down until the handle touches the middle and lower chest. Then, maintaining full control of the weight, slowly return to the starting position.
Straight arm pull-down
The Difference: This is a relatively rare single-joint back exercise. Since the biceps aren't involved in this exercise, the back muscles can be stimulated better in isolation. Like the reverse-grip high pull-down, this exercise also focuses on the lower back muscles.
How to do it: Attach a straight bar handle to the end of the cable on the overhead puller and stand facing the cable. Hold the handle with your palm facing down, shoulder-width apart. Take a step back so the weights don't bottom out. In the starting position of the movement, the arms are straight and the handle is at the height of the head. The waist is slightly forward. Keeping your arms straight, use your back muscles to pull the handle down until it touches your thigh. Pause for a moment at the lowest point of the movement to perform a peak contraction of the back muscles. Then, maintaining full control of the weight, slowly return to the starting position.
Close neutral grip pull down
The Difference: This move is closer to a rowing move and focuses on adding thickness to the lower back muscles.
How to do it: Attach a V-shaped butt-grip handle to the end of the cable on the High Pull Down. Hold the handle with your palms facing each other. Sit on the seat plate of the high drop machine with your knees under the leg press. In the starting position of the movement, the arms are fully extended above the head and the torso is perpendicular to the ground. Under the guidance of the elbow joint, use the strength of the back muscles to pull the handle down until the handle touches the lower chest. Then, maintaining full control of the weight, slowly return to the starting position.