Exercise

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown: How to Do It, Muscles Worked

Last updated 26 July 2026

What muscles does the Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown work?

The Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown primarily targets the lats, and also recruits the biceps, middle back, shoulders as secondary muscles. It's classified as a beginner-level strength movement using cable.

What are the most common Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown mistakes?

• Leading with the arms instead of initiating the pull from the back and shoulder blades.
• Rounding the upper back rather than keeping the chest up through the pull.
• Using momentum — a body swing or a jerk of the torso — instead of pulling with the target muscles.
• Letting the shoulders shrug up toward the ears instead of pulling the shoulder blades down and back.

How should I program the Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown — sets, reps and frequency?

As a pulling movement, it responds well to a moderate-to-heavy 6-10 reps for 3 sets while technique is being built. Most lifters train it once or twice a week as a primary movement in a push/pull/legs or upper/lower split. Add small amounts of weight or an extra rep once every working set can be completed with good form — the same progressive overload principle behind every strength exercise in the library.

What are good Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown variations and alternatives?

• Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown — cable, beginner level, lats
• Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown — cable, intermediate level, lats
• One Arm Lat Pulldown — cable, beginner level, lats
• Band Assisted Pull-Up — other, beginner level, lats

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown at a glance

Attribute	Value
Level	Beginner
Equipment	Cable
Category	Strength
Primary muscles	Lats
Secondary muscles	Biceps, Middle Back, Shoulders

How to do the Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown, step by step:

1. Step 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. Step 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 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. Step 3. As you have both arms extended in front of you 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. Step 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 and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
5. Step 5. After a second at the contracted position 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. Step 6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.