Close Grip Pulldown

How to Perform the Close Grip Pulldown

1. Sit at a lat pulldown machine and secure your thighs under the knee pad. Attach a close-grip V-bar or narrow handle to the cable.
2. Reach up and grasp the handle with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Lean back slightly from the hips with your chest up.
3. Pull the handle down toward your upper chest by driving your elbows down and back, leading with your lats.
4. Continue pulling until the handle touches or nearly touches your upper chest and your shoulder blades are fully retracted.
5. Squeeze your lats at the bottom for one second, then slowly extend your arms to return the handle to the starting position.
6. Maintain the slight backward lean throughout and avoid rocking your torso back and forth between reps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Muscles Worked

Benefits

• ✓The close grip increases the range of motion compared to wider grips, leading to a greater stretch and contraction of the lats.
• ✓Easier to perform than close-grip pull-ups, making it accessible for beginners building toward bodyweight pulling movements.
• ✓Builds lower lat development that contributes to the coveted V-taper physique.

Pro Tips

• ●Use a V-bar or close neutral grip handle to allow your wrists to stay in a comfortable, natural position.
• ●Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the bottom of each rep for maximum back contraction.
• ●Use a controlled 2-3 second negative to maximize time under tension on the lats.

Variations

Recommended Sets & Reps