Beginner

Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

The neutral grip keeps the palms facing each other, which sits the shoulders in a joint-friendly position and lets the brachioradialis and biceps lend a hand. It is an easy, shoulder-friendly way to load the vertical pull, and many lifters feel their lats better on this variation than on a wide overhand bar. A solid staple for any back day and a good option if wide grips aggravate the shoulders.

Equipment
Cables
Body part
Back, Lats
Type
Strength
Browse by muscle
Latissimus Dorsi
Browse by movement
Vertical Pull
Muscles worked
Target
Latissimus Dorsi
Secondary
Brachioradialis, Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head, Trapezius Lower, Trapezius Middle
Tertiary
Infraspinatus

How to do it

  1. 1

    Attach a parallel-grip bar or dual handles so your palms face each other.

  2. 2

    Pin your thighs under the pad and sit tall with a slight backward lean.

  3. 3

    Pull the handles down toward your upper chest by driving the elbows down and slightly forward.

  4. 4

    Bring the handles to chest level and squeeze the lats.

  5. 5

    Let the weight rise under control until the arms straighten and the lats lengthen.

  6. 6

    Breathe out on the pull and in on the return, keeping the hips anchored.

Tips

  • Let the elbows drift a little in front of you, which matches the neutral-grip line of pull.
  • Keep the wrists straight and the forearms in line with the cable.
  • Initiate each rep from the shoulder blades, not by yanking with the arms.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Elbows get flared out to the sides as if you were holding a straight bar, which fights the palms-in line of pull and grinds the front of the shoulder; let them come down and slightly in front of you.
  • Parallel handles narrower than your shoulders cramp the elbows into the ribs before the pull is finished; if the attachment is too tight, use a wider neutral bar rather than shortening the rep.
  • The bar hangs high enough that people stand to reach it and then drop into the seat with the arms already loaded, which yanks the shoulder when it is least ready; sit down first, then pull it into position.
  • The backward lean gets skipped and the torso stays bolt upright, so the handle runs into your face and the elbows never clear the ribs; a small, fixed lean gives the bar somewhere to go.
  • Because the palms-in position lets the biceps and forearms help freely, many lifters feel this one in the arms the next day; slow the pull down and start each rep from the shoulder blade.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the neutral-grip lat pulldown should a beginner do?
Three sets of 8 to 12 twice a week works as your main vertical pull. The neutral grip is one of the stronger positions, so expect to use a little more than on a wide bar, and track it as its own lift rather than comparing the two. Add the smallest plate when the top set reaches 12 with the handles touching the upper chest and the arms straightening fully at the top. If you train back twice a week, running this on one day and a pronated grip on the other keeps both patterns in the program.
What can I do instead of the neutral-grip lat pulldown with no machine?
A neutral-grip pull-up on parallel bars or rings is the closest match, with a band under one foot if you need help. At home, hang a band over a high anchor and take one side in each hand so the palms face each other, which reproduces the grip exactly. A single-arm band pulldown works too, since one hand is always neutral. If your gym has a chest-supported row with parallel handles, it trains the same muscles from a horizontal angle.
What is the neutral-grip lat pulldown good for, and when should I use a different grip?
The palms-facing position sits the shoulder in a comfortable place and lets the forearm and biceps contribute, which usually means more load and less joint fuss, so it works as a staple at any level and as a fallback when wide grips aggravate a shoulder. Use a different grip when you want the outer-lat width bias of a wide pronated bar, or when you are training specifically for pull-ups, since that is the hand position you will meet on a bar. If your arms are the part that is sore after every session, a pronated grip shifts the balance back toward the back.

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