full range of motion lat pulldowns

[itzgambino]

What's the vertict on the full range of motion lat pulldowns where you use the cables and criss cross your arms and pull back. Heres a better description than my own Bodybuilding.com - Exercise Guides Database..

Do these hit your lats just as good as regular pulldowns? I already do pull-ups in my back routine I was just looking for something different.

 

[n87]

Just do pull-ups. If they're too easy, add a plate or two. IMO

 

[wontstop985]

doesn't look like a very useful exercise...

 

[itzgambino]

i don't know i have done them for two weeks already and my lats have been sorer then they have gotten in a while, the pump is pretty good from it too

 

[brownstown89]

keep doin it if it works for u!

 

[Resolve]

I've always called those cross-pulls. They're decent, better than pull-downs as they allow shoulder retraction more like a normal pull-up, but pull-ups are still better. I don't see any point in doing pull-down unless you are too weak to do a pull-up

 

[Flaw]

wow.. i've never seen this exercise before. Looks like a modified cable reverse cross-over fly for rear delts. I'm gonna give this one a try. Anything new in a routine is good for body response.

 

[brk_nemesis]

Might be good for a shaping exercise,.. but you just cant get any better than weighted pullups/chinups for lat-vertical mass and strength.

 

[Flaw]

Might be good for a shaping exercise,.. but you just cant get any better than weighted pullups/chinups for lat-vertical mass and strength.

I agree, Chin ups,pull-ups are the gold standard for lats and general upper body strength.

 

[KgTomCat]

range of motion is an individual to individual case...I may only pull down until my elbows are parallel to the floor someone else might pull down past parallel...all depends on if YOU can feel it. also people will argue whether your bulking and cutting matters, but the more range of motion you have the more developed muscle you will have, IMO

 

[Flaw]

range of motion is an individual to individual case...I may only pull down until my elbows are parallel to the floor someone else might pull down past parallel...all depends on if YOU can feel it. also people will argue whether your bulking and cutting matters, but the more range of motion you have the more developed muscle you will have, IMO

Which is where flexibilty comes into play and why it's so important. If that muscle is already in a shortened length it won't get proper/full activation. I like to do static stretching of the muscle I'm going to work the day before and do Self Myofacial release on the muscle I work that day and It makes all the difference. Proper warmup and active stretching during the course of the workout to keep the muscle loose as well. On a chest day it can mean the difference of 5-10 reps. On a back day it can mean the difference of 5-10 pullups. With legs it seems to make the biggest difference with me. When my quads are tight I can't do squats for nothing. Instant cramps.

 

[KgTomCat]

Which is where flexibilty comes into play and why it's so important. If that muscle is already in a shortened length it won't get proper/full activation. I like to do static stretching of the muscle I'm going to work the day before and do Self Myofacial release on the muscle I work that day and It makes all the difference. Proper warmup and active stretching during the course of the workout to keep the muscle loose as well. On a chest day it can mean the difference of 5-10 reps. On a back day it can mean the difference of 5-10 pullups. With legs it seems to make the biggest difference with me. When my quads are tight I can't do squats for nothing. Instant cramps.

good point. i have always been avid on streching. dont get me wrong, I do believe in a full range of motion too, just in certain situations is it important

 

[EasyEJL]

On pulldowns once you get past a certain point you are using bis as much as back. Thats why at least sometimes I just load up extra weight and do Scapular Rows instead...

Begin by holding the lat pulldown bar in a seated position. You’ll want to use a slightly less than shoulder width grip, but you should vary this grip occasionally to attack the muscles from different angles.
Now lean back a bit and pull the bar down using only the lats. If anything, your elbows should bend just slightly at the very end of the motion. You only want to move the bar about 4-6 inches.
Scapular Rows are a lot like doing the very beginning of a lat pulldown. The difference is you stop completely before the biceps have a chance to kick in. Remember, you're pulling down with only your lats. The movement will take you a set or two to get used to, but once you’ve got it down you’ll really feel how well it isolates your lats.