Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

How to perform the Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

1. Attach a neutral V-handle or parallel-grip bar to the lat pulldown and lock your thighs snugly under the pad.
2. Grip the handles with palms facing each other, sit tall, and let the arms extend fully overhead into a lat stretch.
3. The neutral grip keeps the elbows tracking close to the body and is easy on the shoulders and wrists.
4. Begin by depressing the shoulder blades, then pull the handle toward the upper chest by driving the elbows down and back.
5. Bring the handle to the upper chest and squeeze the lats without hauling it past the sternum into shoulder strain.
6. Return the handle overhead under control into a full stretch before starting the next repetition.

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

Common mistakes

• •Hauling the handle past the sternum and forcing the shoulders into a strained position.
• •Leaning far back and rowing the handle rather than pulling it down to the upper chest.
• •Pulling with the biceps by curling the elbows in instead of driving them down and back.
• •Shrugging the shoulders up at the top and losing the lat stretch overhead.

Variations & alternatives

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