Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

How to do it

1. Clip a V-bar or parallel handle onto the high pulley of a pulldown station.
2. Sit down and lock your thighs under the pad.
3. Take the handle with palms facing each other and straighten your arms.
4. Pull your shoulder blades down and keep your chest tall.
5. Draw the handle to your upper chest with your elbows tracking close to your ribs.
6. Return slowly until your arms are fully extended and repeat.

Common mistakes

• Rocking the torso back and forth, which turns the pulldown into a partial row.
• Shrugging at the start, so the upper traps absorb the load before the lats.
• Curling the handle down with the arms, which makes the biceps the limiting factor.
• Cutting the top of the range short, which removes the loaded lat stretch.