How to Do a Lateral Pull Down With Cables
The lat pulldown is one of the best exercises to help strengthen the latissimus dorsi (lats) muscle. This is a large muscle located in the back of the body. Shaping this muscle with weight training gives you that “V” shape to your back. This can help you to look leaner. Aside from pullups, lat pulldowns with cables are the most effective exercise to help strengthen this area.
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Instructions
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If you have never used cables before ask a trainer at the gym to help you set them up.
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Place a bench in front of the cables. You will be sitting on the bench facing the weight stack. Attach a long straight bar onto the top hook. Grab onto the bar and sit down while holding on. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lean back a bit.
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On the exhale pull the bar down to your chest.On the inhale slowly let the bar back up. Go up far enough that the elbows are straight but not locked.
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Do three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
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You can work the muscle from different angles by changing from a wide grip to a narrow grip. If you try different grips you will feel different parts of the lat muscles being worked.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember to tighten the abdominal muscles to help protect the back. Lower the weights slowly and do not let the weights pull you up.
Try to find a bench low enough that the weights do not touch as you straighten the arms.
This exercise used to be done by leaning forward and pulling the bar down behind the head. This is no longer recommended as it places strain on the back and neck. It is now recommended that you always pull the bar in front of you.
