…continued – Upper Back – Lats
Pull downs are virtually identical to pull-ups, but offer several distinct advantages – the ability to easily adjust the resistance and the ability to more effectively alter the angle at which you pull the weight down. All pull down movements should be done in front and not behind your neck.
To effectively target the lat muscles with maximum overload you need to lean back during this movement at about a 45 or 55 degree angle to the floor. This is a more favorable position to allow for greater overload, more direct lat stimulation, and drastically decrease chance of injury to the shoulder joint (You’re working with your body’s natural mechanical movements).
As you begin the pull-down look at the ceiling. Pull the bar down with force and touch or try to touch the top of your chest to the bar. Allow the bar to ascend slowly about half the speed you went on the way down. At the top of the movement stretch your lats briefly (1 second) and repeat. On the last rep, stretch your lats for about 3 seconds.
Max-OT Tip:
As you noticed Max-OT takes a different approach on form. Max-OT uses your body’s natural biomechanical movements to target the muscle with more overload while decreasing chance of injury. Max-OT does not hold you into an unnatural ridge position that most mistake for “good form”.
Close Grip – “V” – Bar Pull Downs
This is a great exercise for both lat thickness and width. This is done on a Lat Pull Down Machine. Primary muscles involved are the lats. Secondary muscles used are the biceps, forearms, shoulders, and a little bit of chest.
Execution
There is only one way to grip his bar so you can’t make a mistake here. As you begin the pull-up look at the ceiling. Pull the V bar down with force. Arch your back and thrust your chest forward as the bar approaches your chest and touch or try to touch the bar to bottom of your sternum. Allow the bar to ascend slowly about half the speed you went on the way down. At the top of the movement stretch your lats briefly (1 second) and repeat. On the last rep, stretch your lats for about 3 seconds.
