Proper form - Lat Pulldowns

K

KPC84

0
Hopefully someone can clear this up for me. What is the proper form for a lat pulldown? When I started training back in high school I sat perfectly straight up, grabbed the bar with a wide grip, and pulled it down behind my head. When I got to college everyone told me that was wrong, and I should go in front and pull the bar down even with my clavicle.

The difference is the angle of their back. They load up the weight and when they start the contraction they lean way the hell back in what looks like a horrible jerking motion.

So, it seems like they can move a lot of weight, but it just doesn't look right to me. If I'm really just trying to isolate the lats, doesn't an upright seating position and behind the head contraction make the most sense?

Whats up?
Thanks
 
Jut be the better man and do pull-ups instead. And if there too easy ad weight.

But to answer your question. Sit up right, grab the bar with a fairly wide grip and pull down to where the middle of the bar almost touches ur clavicle. No jerky motion just a solid downward pull then let it go back up. Ur right in ur observations, those people are goin down the right road for injury.
 
You can lean back while doing lat pull-downs. It just changes the angle/muscles taxed. You'll feel the difference when you do them ;)

Pulling the bar behind your head is not a good thing to do:
 
Excder said:
Jut be the better man and do pull-ups instead. And if there too easy ad weight.
Click to expand...

I do both pull-ups and lat pull downs in my split.

So, what part of the back is exercised when you change the angle? I see these guys leaning back way past 45 degrees and then just throwing the weight back up. To me, that just looks like improper form.
 
You have to have proper form. Don't do them the way you're seeing them. Nice slow, controlled movements ;)

When I'm angled (and I have a slightly narrower grip) I feel it way more in the rhomboids and traps. It's similar to an angled supine pull up, but instead of pulling your body up, you're pulling the bar down.

With normal lat pull downs I never feel anything other than my lats (and biceps of course).
 
and pulling behind the head isn't always the best idea. Puts the shoulders in the "at risk" position. IMO, the risk is not worth the gain of pulling behind the head.
 
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