Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

How to perform the Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

1. Attach a close-grip V-handle to the lat pulldown and secure your thighs under the pad with feet flat on the floor.
2. Grip the handle with the hands close together, sit tall, and let the arms extend fully overhead into a deep lat stretch.
3. The narrow grip lengthens the range of motion and lets the elbows drive far down along the sides for a strong lat contraction.
4. Depress the shoulder blades, then pull the handle to the lower chest by driving the elbows straight down and into the ribs.
5. Touch the handle to the lower chest and squeeze the lats at the bottom without leaning way back into a row.
6. Extend the arms overhead under control into the full stretch before the next repetition.

Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Leaning way back and turning the close-grip pulldown into a seated row.
• •Curling with the biceps instead of driving the elbows straight down into the ribs.
• •Cutting the overhead stretch short so the narrow grip never lengthens the lats fully.
• •Shrugging the shoulders up at the bottom rather than keeping the blades set down.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.