Alternative to Lat Pulldowns

An alternative right on the lat pulldown machine.

Latissimus dorsi, or lats, is the long muscle group that runs between the posterior deltoid region to the lateral rib cage. Lat pulldowns are a cable-pulley weightlifting exercise. Pulling down against resistance forces the lats to contract.

Pull-ups

The lat pulldown simulates a pull-up or chin-up, where you are suspended by your hands from a horizontal bar and you pull your body weight up. Pull-ups are very effective alternatives for lat pulldowns, if you can do them. Some people cannot pull their body weight up, and lat pulldowns allow them to set resistance to below their body weight.

Rowing

The lats pull back as well as down, so rowing motions are effective alternatives to lat pulldowns, even though they don't match the direction of lat pulldowns. Rowing exercises include one-armed with suspended dumbbells, two-armed with suspended barbells or on a rowing simulator.

Bar Dips

Parallel bar dips also work the lats. You can perform bar dips on a set of horizontal parallel bars or handles that are near waist level and close enough for you to suspend your weigh between them by pushing up off them with your feet dangling below. Again, bar dips are very good alternatives for lat pulldowns, but only if you can do bar dips.

References

• My Weightlifting: Latissimus Dorsi
• Bodybuyilding: Dips
• Wellness Massachusetts: Rowing
• SportstInjuryClinic.net: Lat Pulldowns

Resources

• Iron Magazine: Back Training