Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

How to do the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

1. Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
2. Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
3. As you have both arms extended in front of you - while holding the bar at the chosen grip width - bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
4. As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary (only the arms should move). The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull the bar down using the forearms.
5. After a second in the contracted position, while squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
6. 6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	lats
Secondary	biceps, middle back, shoulders
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

V-Bar Pullup Bodyweight Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up Bodyweight Chin-Up Bodyweight Pullups Bodyweight Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover Barbell Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment

Harder than the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

Elevated Cable Rows intermediate · Cable Machine Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover intermediate · Barbell Weighted Pull Ups intermediate · Other Equipment

Superset the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown with

Opposing shoulders and chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Alternating Cable Shoulder Press shoulders Cable Chest Press chest Cable Internal Rotation shoulders Cable Rope Rear-Delt Rows shoulders

Common questions

What muscles does the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown work?

The Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown primarily works the lats, with the biceps, mid back, and shoulders as secondary movers. Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown, Kipping Muscle Up, and Muscle Up train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, V-Bar Pullup, Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up, and Chin-Up train the same muscle, and 8 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown is rated beginner. Elevated Cable Rows, Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover, and Weighted Pull Ups are the progressions from here.

Where should the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown go in a workout?

Early — the Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Alternating Cable Shoulder Press and Cable Chest Press later.

Similar exercises

Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment Muscle Up Other Equipment Rocky Pull-Ups/Pulldowns Other Equipment Rope Climb Other Equipment Side To Side Chins Other Equipment