Stop Doing Lat Pulldowns Like This! (8 MISTAKES)

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Proper lat pulldown form: the lat pulldown machine is a solid exercise to build back muscle, but only if you're doing it properly. If you want to build a bigger back as efficiently as possible, make sure you're checking off these 8 boxes when it comes to your lat pulldown workouts. Correcting these mistakes will not only help you build a wider back with more thickness as well, but will also prevent injury during your back workouts. Lat pulldowns are a solid back exercise for mass, but as with any muscle building exercise, there's always the risk for injury if it isn't done properly. This video includes 8 back training tips on the lat pulldown along with one extra bonus tip to pay close attention to as well. Most people think of the lat pulldown as a lat exercise (who can blame them given the name), but this is not actually the best back exercise for mass to build wider lats. Overhand pulldowns are more of an upper back targeted movement. This video will explain how to specifically get in a lat workout on this machine by using a different grip and body position.

[@Sean_Nalewanyj]

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[@Doschy]

yes

[@ICcccreg]

Can I send you a pic and let me know if I should recomp or not

[@doitwil7170]

THANK YOU

[@salehaffan2608]

Waiting for that video on lat exercises bro .

[@haizi7314]

You Look Like Tom Hanks Idk Why

[@christophzeit6282]

Social relations are killing your gains.

[@bratva1354]

Social relations are keeping you big as hell.

[@doctorcatnip2551]

I agree.

[@MajorWolf72]

Unless it’s your juice dealer, fully agree

[@mishutz]

Work as well

[@adekunle4672]

1. Not having feet firmly planted onto the ground and having the knee pad not pressing tight
2. Gripping bar too widely
Try 1.5× shoulder width
You can play around with grip width, but studies have shown a pronated grip outperforms a supinated one.
3. Too much range of motion, pull to upper chest and no further
4. Allowing shoulders to collapse and hunch forward, this engages shoulders more
5. Excessive momentum, if bar path, grip, etc is ok then it is ok for advanced lifters but for most people just use a slight tilt
6. Excessively strict with your form, don't be too rigid, you'll still build muscle, in a way have a middle ground between controlled momentum and rigidity
7. Not controlling the negative, it can stress the joints, don't be too slow on the negative but control the bar as it moves upwards.
8. Pulling the bar behind your neck, it has no real benefits, and it results in internally rotating shoulders.
Bonus: Lat pulldowns shouldn't be primary lat exercises as it can work the upper back, to work lats more use a neutral pronated grip with straight back and pull shoulders down for more shoulder extension

[@jorgesdeath]

I was just gonna write this down. Thanks

[@anonymousanonymous5327]

If you watch the video he says exactly what you wrote

[@adekunle4672]

@@anonymousanonymous5327 shock

[@fissilepear7805]

@@anonymousanonymous5327 exactly, this is so people who don’t want to watch the whole video or need to remember something from it can look at this comment

[@hepdance6073]

@@fissilepear7805 its literally a 7 minute video, and the video is explaining those points even better than just reading them point form. I find it hard to believe 7 minutes is a long video

[@jamestonbellajo]

Crazy how the timing worked out for me. I built out a garage gym and haven’t done lat pulldowns since going to the gym before COVID and just installed a cable pulley and was going to start doing lat pulldowns again today! Thanks Sean! This should help dust off a lot of rust.

[@nicolasklug2311]

Hey what model/brand did you buy? Im a home gym owner and am fed up of doing pull ups Lol

[@jamestonbellajo]

@@nicolasklug2311 I thought I replied but I don’t see it. I was going to make a DIY pulley but I bought one directly from Archon for around $40. It was the 70” / 55” dual cable option with a 1” loading pin. Used a first purchase discount too. Ended up being about just a little more than what a DIY would cost but it looks, works and sounds better.
Also got MAG grips (Sean uses one in the video) as well and the whole setup works so well.

[@nicolasklug2311]

@@jamestonbellajo Thanks man appreciate it will look into it !

[@chrisrhinehart45]

I would like to know as well where did you get your cable machine from cable machines can do just as good as anything else

[@jamestonbellajo]

@@chrisrhinehart45 I don’t have a machine. I wish I did but I don’t have the room. I got a pulley from Archon for around $40. Look at my other reply for details.

[@StevieP.]

The shorts are brilliant but it's great to see a more in depth video again Sean! It's amazing with the lat pulldown how simple it looks but how much people get wrong.

[@louiscyfer6944]

unfortunately sean gets most of it wrong too.

[@JoseRodriguez-fy9so]

@@louiscyfer6944 specify please

[@louiscyfer6944]

@@JoseRodriguez-fy9so it's way too long to write it out here. i have to explain it in person, there is a lot of detail to get the mechanics right.

[@JoseRodriguez-fy9so]

@@louiscyfer6944 I can be on discord if u want

[@louiscyfer6944]

@@JoseRodriguez-fy9so if you are in so cal you can come to my gym and i will walk you through it.

[@Masterscotts1]

“Three things in life that matter most”
Bench, Squat, Deadlift, right?

[@gamainku6588]

Pull ups too but yeah

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

Barbell banded booty hip thrusts!

[@Quentinthemudkip]

@@maratonlegendelenemirei3352 I always thought it was fruity af but I decided to let my ego go yesterday and did them and oh brother let me tell you, my ass knows what it’s like to take a 6 in her back there now

[@edsteiner7558]

Not when your back has seen better days.... 🤣

[@FitLabb]

Solid recommendations as always. The most common issues I see are people bringing the bar down way too low, & using too much weight and/or excessive leverage to get the bar down.

[@rad_98]

Brother you're everywhere i go

[@FitLabb]

@@rad_98 Haha! I guess that means we both follow the same great channels 👍
Glad to meet you you!

[@reagangovender4217]

@@rad_98 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Paul__108__]

I rarely see no. 5, but still notice no. 8.
The bonus “mistake” includes helpful tips for how best to use the machine and how to incorporate other complementary exercises. Thanks.

[@cpolo88]

Dude I caught myself doing a few of these without knowing I was doing them. Thanks for clearing it up man 👏🏽

[@ethioman123]

The flat feet one nailed me immediately lol

[@Jay-jq6bl]

@@ethioman123 It's not so much the foot position as the knees and butt. You can still anchor yourself without having your heels flat on the ground.

[@Day100]

Thank you for helping ease the anxiety of improper form! Sometimes I find it tough to tell if I'm doing something wrong when almost nobody at my gym uses proper form and look these up to reassure myself I'm not crazy for doing it the right way. Thank you!

[@jsav4269]

Best advice I ever got for seriously sore lats I’d pull with your arm pits, the difference is unbelievable

[@tiptonbrett]

This is one of the best videos I've seen explaining exercise form. It's straight forward and simple. There are appropriate videos demonstrating technique. And, there's a logical explanation for each point. Nicely done!

[@emmettschwarz5025]

Love you and your channel, thank you. I’m just getting back into the gym finally after almost 2 years being out and it’s almost as if I was destined to take that time off just so I could be properly informed by you. Bless your soul Sean.

[@bambostarla6259]

I just started weight lifting going from bodyweight training and watching your content has helped me a lot. Thanks!

[@cureouscat]

Will definitely apply these in my next back session. Thank you for all your tips and advise! 👊

[@GHOSTEFC]

So happy with this video, its the 1 exercise iv felt there's something missing and its been the wider grip that's been holding me back! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@wizcorn9958]

Hey, I was just wondering if you’re still happy with this video?

[@fitnytech]

Once you see results, it becomes an addiction.

[@akamiguelsanchez9985]

Perfecting timing! I’m getting back to it after getting over a nasty stomach flu that kept me out for three weeks.

[@Sabeine]

Man, your content is so ON POINT with science and honesty and true kinesiology that is is just purely addictive!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@marcvolpe8252]

SABEINE YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL ADORABLE SEDUCTIVE RAVISHING CAPTIVATING AND PASSIONATE ❤

[@grandrtiv26]

Literally what I needed. Thank you!

[@subsonicbass]

Good stuff, thanks for clarifying! Really have problems feeling my back during exercises and this should help :)

[@kanishka78]

Thanks Sean, I'm definitely guilty of #4 towards the end of each work set and will look to re-incorporate #8 which had stupidly dropped off the menu. 👏

[@aleksandarradovanovic8496]

Your channel quickly became my favorite one, when comes to fitness. You're always done to the point, precise and it seems you trully wanna help people.
I wish you all the best moving forward

[@ShadowWarrior1909876]

As a personal trainer thank you, literally you are my teacher and I pass along your knowledge

[@Matt-uc8dd]

I’m making a book of exercise tutorials to pull out in the gym when I need it- this is hella helpful. Thanks Sean

[@emppupelikone]

Hey Sean I love your videos. Mostly you upload videos of talking which is great, but it would be great to see maybe a typical week of your workout with commentary describing what your doing (old school style)

[@echoprime2439]

Another tip that often goes overlooked is keeping your shoulders down. You wanna make sure you're not shrugging plus, one function of the lats is shoulder depression.

[@pyrrosdimas5798]

I usually shrug it in the top and then pull them down as the bar goes down

[@ridhabenammar715]

@@pyrrosdimas5798 if you're shrugging then you're transferring all the tension to your traps, loosening up the lats instead of keeping them tight the whole set.

[@mastertrey4683]

Thats stupid. If shoulder depression is a function of the lats then you should allow your shoulders to elevate at the end of a rep. This is like saying “you should elevate your shoulders when doing overhead press”

[@damschu23]

afaik if you dont let your shoulders lift a bit on the top you aren‘t using full ROM.

[@Kevin-cy2dr]

Thanks doggo. Looks like its a rest day for you

[@leonsubbotsky6087]

Every word is gold. My favorite gym coach on yt.

[@devil-gaming4147]

Thank you for clearing all my doubts

[@mikem9047]

Thank you for this and other great videos. I had shoulder surgery about 9 months ago and found the straight bars still hurt due to my range of motion still being limited. I noticed at 7:12 during the bonus tip you are using the MAG pull down handles. I first saw these at a gym in the UK and purchased 3 of these for myself. Since using these I’ve noticed less pain because my grip now places my shoulders in a more natural position for the pull downs. I’d recommend these for folks with shoulder pain using a straight bar. I saw your dumbbell press videos and would compare these to a dumbbell press vs a bench press. On a bench press the hands aren’t free to move as natural as with a dumbbell where I can place my elbows at the 70-75 degree position.

[@gabrielkorhonen6363]

This was a really helpful video. I feel like i couldn't feel my lats that well in this movement before. Also for me gripping like a hook helped me engage my lats more, and focusing on driving my elbows down.

[@Jay-jq6bl]

I'd suggest if you're having trouble feeling your lats, try doing one arm pulldowns. Start with an overhand grip and change to underhand as you contract. You can contract your lats even tighter b/c you don't have a bar hitting your chest. It takes longer, but will help you to learn the sensation you're looking for.

[@rad_98]

Saw that lat pulldown mistake post on your Instagram and i instantly knew you were gonna do a video about it. Amazing info brother i definitely learned something from this.

[@GavinJBerry-kq1jq]

Thanks for the help, Sean! 💪

[@alexpatyababa5221]

"...I'm not saying you're guaranteed to snap your shit up,"
Lol. Love your straight-forward approach and no-nonsense teaching style your videos have been helping me a lot recently. Thank you!

[@tonykelpie]

Pulling behind neck with low/moderate weight has been useful to me in increasing range of shoulder movement while recovering from bilateral frozen shoulder. I agree entirely about not using too much weight behind the neck.

[@beerleaguer2]

Guilty of gripping too wide, but now I know. Thanks, bro.

[@mapu3291]

Thanks a bunch for sharing this information! I'll take this to heart when doing back day again!

[@daveoconnell4738]

Hey man great video and awesome tips will put all of them to good use I saw a few of your other videos on work out tips and like within two sessions of going to my gym I instantly saw the results I go to the gym three to four times week I really found that doing five reps of eight on a heavy load has really worked so thank heaps so I’ll do a deal with you, you keep making these videos and I’ll keep watching them 😁 cheers mate take have a good one and thank you kindly 😁

[@tobiassomething1188]

Back is my favorite part to exercise so It's cool to see I haven't been making too many mistakes, have a good trainer. Awesome video this is my favorite exercise hope to do pull-ups someday

[@David_99778]

Ye I tried pullups and they are hard. It s my second month in the gym

[@Mark-eh3mv]

Just the video I needed. Thanks Sean.

[@marcypto]

Thank you so much with this tips man you help me fix my form when doing a lat pulldown

[@pr0xi_zura.]

3:54 This is game changing for me to hear. I thought that restriction and robotic form is the 100% way to go. I appreciate this!

[@jamesdowling9145]

Hey Sean, I reckon a cool vid would be about your progress of working out, like a transformation video but you could go through mistakes you made and things you did right. Kinda like your video about your old workout forum. Hope you see this 👍

[@dannguyen1329]

Wow, i started to see some plateau in my back workout, and did some of the mistakes, will corrected as soon as possible. Great video.

[@mmabri]

Good informative video. I like how you get straight to the point of the video. No fluff in between. Just the facts.

[@manny75586]

My biggest lat pull-down revelation was making sure the bar was fully stretching me out on the negative.
Once I started controlling the negative, and allowing a big stretch, my back blew up. Combined with only doing neutral grip.

[@khushkataria7226]

Damn i do so many of these mistakes. Explains why I can't feel my back while doing pull downs. Will try to follow these tips today

[@craigpage1261]

This really helped and was timely. I just added last PD to my training. 👍👍

[@ro_x]

Always great info. Bro..much appreciated

[@reidlos8084]

As someone who has anterior deltoid issues but the lateral and posterior is fine, doing behind the neck lat pulldown has always been the one exercise i felt to be the most effective. I can do a variety of back exercises and none target the upper back for me as doing it behind the neck, but as you said it has to be controlled and with lighter/moderate weight. i believe the biggest problem with the riskier/more dangerous exercises/exercise variations come from improper form and/or using too much weight

[@MikkoSimila]

Back lat pulldown. An excellent exercise for enchancing the back's width.

[@MindlessWasTaken]

I’ve never clicked a video so fast. I’ve been doing them for a few weeks and I have 0 idea what the right form is I feel like I’ve seen a million different ways. Can’t wait to watch this and now actually do it correct and effectively and not be guessing
Edit: so far 0 mistakes made up until the super mechanical form at 4:21 I can have a little more movement and not such a strict form

[@syaril20032]

Nice timing watching this video. Gonna do back later on. Thanks Sean ;)

[@terrynorton5553]

I'm actually out the door to the gym for back and shoulder night when I saw the video. My grip has been too wide for quite some time now, and I was wondering why the desired result wasn't there. Trying it the proper way this evening. Thank you Sean!

[@spoopyscaryskelebones3846]

You’re welcome Terry :)

[@Flexb123]

Yea but you're still contracting the muscle so don't think it was useless just because it was a bit wider. I know many pro's BB's who change their grip frequently on most of their back exercises. I'd say changing your grip even once a month could benefit.

[@muhammadehaab670]

I am 16 Y/o and struggling to make a good mind muscle connection and correct positions with low weights. No matter how hard I try I dont feel my back. I find your this video helpful and within few hours Im hitting the gym. I’ll surely try It.
Thank you Sean❤

[@visigrog]

Another great video, love your scientific approach.

[@robertsherrow3627]

Excellent, thanks Sean!

[@locomojoboy2]

Number 6 was the one I really needed to hear.
I have a bad low back and I wasn’t sure if allowing your torso to move when pulling down would cause back injuries.

[@ortarazi3119]

I like how sean simply calls some exercises awkward in his videos

[@majoraze4787]

Brilliant Video. Thanks

[@meyrickdearing7896]

Glad I came across your channel, really like your content and approach

[@anuragdamane2847]

Tomorrow's pull day and this video pops up

[@xijinping2766]

Lmao same

[@jamestonbellajo]

What are the impacts of verticality/angle for lat pulldowns? I was doing them at near 90 degrees with a slight lean at the gym, but with the way my pulley is set up at home, I’m pulling down at about 75 degrees.

[@nicolasklug2311]

Hey what model/brand did you buy? Im a home gym owner and am fed up of doing pull ups Lol

[@kushtrimzogaj2827]

Awesome video as always ,keep up the good work

[@nickoemmanuelvillacruz6441]

Thank you for this video. I hope you make video for other common exercises mistakes in the future

[@ajk4270]

Sean, help us find good supplement brand alternatives, just like when you made that good CZcamsrs video. My country doesn't allow your products imported 😭

[@abcsoxx3801]

India?

[@ajk4270]

@@abcsoxx3801 Countries in Scandinavia etc.

[@GVS]

"They don't have any neutral grip attachments at this gym"
Jeez, even MY gym has that...

[@antlion6796]

China.. hard to get stuff done when everyone's bing chilling...

[@GVS]

@Jacob Hively it's definitely unique.

[@Kakaidol]

Love this video bcoz u showed the visual of mistakes and the difference too.

[@paulx7620]

Really good info and well presented thank you 👍

[@lukas6485]

6:54 that’s just training your biceps

[@fedyarumynin2188]

Hi Sean, I'm 7'1 and when I do the lat pulldown I can reach the bar whilst sitting. So much so that in order to feel like I get a full range of motion I need to lean back, so I don't really use any momentum. I saw the point about not enough momentum and was wondering what advice you'd have for me? What angle would be too much when involving a little momentum in my lat pulldown for maximum back stimulation?

[@tobygoodbar]

Not Sean here, have u tried kneeling?

[@epitaphd4c481]

Being 6'4 (so, not nearly as tall as you are) and having to train at home with bands for the time being(not going to the gym for personal reasons), kneeling works. I do lat pulldowns with my door and my bands, so obviously I'm not going to reap much benefits while standing

[@louiscyfer6944]

leaning back changes the angle. sit on the ground if you need to. you don't need momentum at all. sean unfortunately still gets a lot of this wrong.

[@MikkoSimila]

Inhale, Pull the bar down to your chest, arching your back and bringing your elbows back.

[@louiscyfer6944]

@@MikkoSimila that instruction is wrong on absolutely every level. fractally wrong. if you tried to get it wrong on purpose, you couldn't have done it better. of course, you are not even considering what part of the back he may be trying to target. please get educated on the subject and do not give advice, you don't know enough yet.

[@WolfKelley1]

Woh this is a really good video. I learned lot. Definitely using this technique from now on.

[@f-man3274]

5:06 Sean is so hot that he needs a giant fan to cool him at least a little bit

[@Abraham_Kist-Okazaki]

Before you gave your final mistake, I was about to write that the biggest mistake folks are making is thinking that they need to do lat pulldowns. When Covid began, gyms here in Tokyo were closed for a month, so I made a home gym and was forced to do chinups and pullups for my lats. When the gyms opened up, I opted at staying in my home gym. The difference in the size of my lats is amazing.

[@PBS-nm1uu]

thanks for all the info, thanks

[@lucaa2375]

Thanks a lot. Tried it today in the gym, feels way better too. Appreciated :]

[@spencerschubert5001]

Best way to do lat pull-downs…
Stand up from the seat, and walk to the nearest fixed horizontal bar and do pull ups instead.

[@PreetTheScientist]

Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior ✝️❤️

[@ZeroCarbDaddy]

Good video man. Thanks

[@Madbro204]

Thank you for this!

[@janbanan5353]

Yaay new video! Keep up the good work!

[@astoriadawa5168]

Very useful. You always have my back !!

[@Simo376]

thank you for all of the useful informations.

[@TheMV1992]

Wow. This was a really great, super-informative video! I'd love to see you do one on the seated row as people advise all kinds of variations from robotic to "cheating". I now lean forward to allow for lat stretching, but without using momentum. Is that the way to go?

[@i_am_chaos_marc]

Thank you Sean🔥

[@namanbisht975]

Great video, Make more video like this for other exercises.

[@ramhasib9930]

Hi Sean
Hope your well love your videos so informative an the honesty of what you say please keep up the great work you can only go from strength to strength hope you dont get to many reprisals from other coaches you have called out an may i say with good reason 🏋️‍♂️

[@enzoconstantinoromo364]

The last tip is legit! I do calisthenics but the grip variations are KEY to target your back in different ways and adapt to different joint angles

[@josemontiel2063]

The lat pulled down the easiest to get wrong thank you Sean! A quick and simple explanation !

[@artothevid]

Wish I had seen this one before my back session yesterday as it would've helped me fine tune my pull downs. Next week though! 💪

[@dark_matter8420]

I had no idea about the foot position, thanks!

[@steve_santiago]

Love this channel

[@robbboto]

ty Sean, love lat pulldowns

[@emilyalison73]

You are great Sean!!

[@neilbeech4093]

Thanks for your advice

[@powersleet]

Great video as always 💪

[@INAN2222]

Thank You! 💖

[@sahilz6514]

Mannn...Thanks 👍 I needed this info

[@YoungWarZ66]

I Appreciate the videos very much brother

[@jasongoh9903]

Very sound advice and reminders 💪👍💕

[@jing-jiangli2190]

This is super helpful!!!

[@Diaa_Jr]

The more i know the more i love this game, and that because of guys like you 👏