Cable Close Grip Front Lat Pulldown
The close-grip pulldown trains the lats through a longer range of motion than a wide-grip version, adding variety to any back workout.
Equipment
Cable machine
Difficulty
intermediate
Sets & reps
3 sets · 10-12 reps
Muscles worked
Lats, Biceps, Mid-back
A lat pulldown performed with a close, narrow grip, allowing a longer range of motion and strong lat contraction at the bottom.
How to do it
- Sit at the pulldown station and secure your thighs under the pad.
- Grip a close-grip handle or narrow bar attachment with palms facing each other or forward.
- Lean back slightly and pull the handle down to your upper chest.
- Drive your elbows down toward your hips, squeezing your lats.
- Let the handle rise back up under control to full arm extension.
Coaching tips
- The closer grip allows a slightly longer pulling range than a wide-grip pulldown.
- Focus on pulling with your elbows, not just your hands.
- Avoid using body momentum to move the weight down.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back too far and turning the pull into a rowing motion.
- Only pulling halfway down instead of to the upper chest.
Frequently asked questions
Does grip width really change the results?
Yes, to a degree — a closer grip allows more range of motion and slightly more biceps involvement, while a wider grip can feel like it targets the outer lats more directly.
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