Cable exercise

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The close-grip lat pulldown uses a narrow, typically neutral-grip attachment on the cable stack, pulling it to the upper chest to train the lats through a long range with strong biceps and lower-trap involvement. Lifters use it to emphasize the stretch and depth of the lats for back thickness, and many find the neutral grip stronger and more shoulder-friendly than a wide pronated bar.

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) illustration

How to do Close-Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable)

  1. 1Attach a close, neutral-grip handle to the lat pulldown cable, sit down, and secure your thighs under the pads.
  2. 2Grip the handle with your palms facing each other and let your arms extend fully overhead, feeling a stretch through the lats.
  3. 3Brace your core, lean back slightly, and exhale as you pull the handle down to your upper chest with your elbows driving toward your ribs.
  4. 4Do not swing your torso or let your shoulders shrug up at the stretched top.
  5. 5Squeeze your lats at the bottom, then inhale as you let the handle rise under control to full arm extension.

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Track Close-Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) in Plates

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