Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

How to do it

1. Attach a wide bar to the pulldown station and set the thigh pads snug.
2. Sit down and take an overhand grip clearly outside shoulder width.
3. Sit tall with braced abs and only a slight backward lean of the torso.
4. Depress your shoulder blades, then pull the bar toward your upper chest.
5. Stop when your elbows reach your torso and hold for a beat.
6. Let the bar rise under control to a full overhead stretch and repeat.

Common mistakes

• Swinging the torso back to move the bar, which shifts the work off the lats.
• Arching the lower back at the top, which trades range for spinal extension.
• Starting the pull with the arms, which lets the biceps limit the set.
• Pulling the bar behind the neck, which forces the shoulders into an exposed position.