Exercise · Back

Close-grip lat pulldown on cable

The close-grip lat pulldown hits your back with good help from your biceps. You do it seated at a high pulley, using a V-handle or a narrow grip. It’s a solid strength exercise for your back, useful for both beginners and more experienced lifters.

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The essentials

Use the V-handle or a close grip.
Pull to your sternum, torso steady.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary: Back
Secondary: Biceps

How to do it

Set up at a lat pulldown machine or any high pulley. Adjust the thigh pad so your legs stay locked in when the weight pulls up.
Grab the V-handle or a narrow-grip handle, palms facing each other or close together. Sit tall with chest up, shoulders back and down.
Start with your arms almost straight overhead without locking your elbows. Keep your torso steady, core braced, eyes looking forward.
Inhale, then pull the handle down toward your sternum by bending your elbows and pulling your shoulders down. Think of keeping your elbows close to your body instead of swinging your lower back.
When the handle reaches near your sternum, pause briefly and keep your back tight, no bouncing or jerking.
Exhale as you let the handle go back up under control for 2 to 3 seconds, almost to the top without relaxing completely, then repeat.

Common mistakes

Leaning way back to move more weight
Instead : Stay almost upright, with just a small lean back if needed, and keep that angle the whole set. If you have to throw your body back to finish the rep, the weight is too heavy.
Pulling only with your arms
Instead : Start the pull by driving your shoulders down, as if you were pulling them away from your ears. Your biceps help, but your back should do most of the work.
Letting your shoulders rise at the top
Instead : At the top of the movement, keep some tension. Don’t let the weight pull your shoulders all the way up to your ears. Control the full range of motion.
Pulling the handle too low
Instead : Aim to pull toward your sternum or upper chest, not your stomach. If you have to bend your wrists or round your back to go lower, stop higher and stay in a strong position.

Coach tips

Use a controlled tempo: about 1 second to pull down, a short pause at the bottom, then 2 to 3 seconds on the way up.
Breathe with the movement: inhale at the top or before you pull, exhale during the effort as you bring the handle to your sternum.
Lock your thighs firmly under the pad so you don’t get lifted by the weight when it pulls upward.
Over time, only increase the weight if you can keep the same range of motion and a steady torso with no swinging.

Variations

On a multi-station cable machine, clip a V-handle to a high pulley and perform the same close-grip pulldown seated.
On a cable crossover, attach a V-handle to a high pulley and sit on a bench in front to mimic a lat pulldown setup.
On a cable station with a high pulley, you can stand, lean slightly back, and recreate the same close-grip pull toward your sternum.

Sets and reps

The close-grip lat pulldown is often done for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, with a load that you can control well. For back training, it’s often paired with other rowing or upper body pulling exercises.

Equipment

Alternatives for the same muscles

Log your Close-grip lat pulldown sets with GoSet

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Common questions

Where should I feel the close-grip lat pulldown?

You should mainly feel it in your back, with your biceps working as well. If you mostly feel it in your shoulders or lower back, lower the weight, stabilize your torso, and focus on pulling toward your sternum with smoother reps.

Which attachment should I use for the close-grip pulldown?

Use a V-handle or any handle that lets you keep your hands close together in a narrow grip. The idea is to keep your elbows close to your body and pull toward your sternum with a steady torso.

I swing a lot when I pull, what should I do?

Move your seat in close enough, lock your thighs under the pad, lower the weight, and focus on keeping your torso almost still. Pull in a controlled way instead of kicking the weight down with your back.

My gym doesn’t have a lat pulldown machine, what can I do instead?

You can copy the movement on any high pulley using a V-handle on a multi-station cable machine, cable crossover, or cable station. Assisted pull-up options (chin-up, neutral-grip, wide-grip) are also good alternatives to work your back and biceps.