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PROPER EXERCISE TECHNIQUE
FOR THE
PULLDOWN AND MACHINE PULLOVER
by Charlie Skeen

Two very popular back exercises being performed today are the pull-down, also known as the lat pulldown, and machine pullover. Both movements are very effective forworking the latissimus dorsi or lats. Unfortunately most people perform them incorrectly causing poorly developed lats and increased risk of injury. On the other hand when superior technique is used not only does the target muscle develop properly, there is also less chance of an injury.

We'll first examine the location and functions of the latissimus dorsi muscle.

Anatomy and Function
This broad, flat, triangular shaped muscle is attached to the posterior crest of the illium and the back of the sacrum located at the end of the spine near the tail bone. It is also attached to spines of the lower six thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae, and the lower three ribs, as well as the lower part of the scapula. All of these attachments are called the origin. The insertion point for this muscle is the front of the humerus, or upper arm bone, close to the shoulder joint. This powerful muscle causes internal rotation of the humerus and brings the arms down to the sides and to the front of the body. It can also extend the arm behind the body as well as move the arm away from the chest in a horizontal plane.

Lat Pulldowns
One way of performing the lat pulldown is to use a long handled bar, either straight or bent. Some people pull the bar down behind-the-neck and some to the front. Does it really matter which method is used?


Side View	Rear View
Lat-Pulldown Behind Head

Notice the pictures above and how the arms are positioned. In order not to hit herself in the head with the bar she has to force her arms backwards. At this angle, the ball on the head of the humerus is too far forward, causing the shoulder joint to be misaligned. This creates unnatural torque on the tendons, ligaments, and muscle tissues, resulting in micro-trauma, or tears and strains to the soft tissues. Also, the ball and socket joint would be exposed to uneven wear, possibly causing bone spurs. This could result in an unstable shoulder joint. Due to the bar coming down behind the head, there is an increased risk of injury whenever it comes in contact with the cervical spine.

Biomechanically, this movement works mostly the lats just below the armpits, the teres major, rhomoids, and trapezius. It is far safer and biomechancially more efficient to work the lats by pulling the bar down to the front of the body. During the performance of this exercise, the head of the humerus remains in a neutral position which is the center of the socket. The unnatural stress to the shoulder joint is thereby eliminated.

Lat Pulldown to the Front
The best type of lat bar to use in this exercise is a straight bar. A straight bar will allow a much greater range of motion in the fully extended position resulting in superior developement of the lats. To properly exercise the lats, the hands need only be slightly wider than shoulder width approximately one to three inches out from each side. Contrary to popular opinion, an excessively wide grip does not make your lats wider and actually reduces the full range of motion negating the ability to exercise them effectively. At the same time unnecessary and excessive stress is applied to the shoulder joint.

Exercise Performance
Before beginning the exercise, make sure the machine is adjusted so the padded crosspiece fits properly over your upper thighs when seated. Position yourself so the pads are at least midway up your thighs when seated. The cable should be coming down in a straight line, not towards the machine or away from it which indicates you are sitting too far forward or too far backwards. With your palms turned away from you, use a thumbless (false) grip and keep your elbows pointed out from the sides as you pull the bar straight down to the top of your chest just below your clavicle and hold for a second. Concentrate on contracting or squeezing your shoulder blades together. If you can not do this, then you are using too much weight. Reduce the resistance so that you can perform your repetitions in strict form. (See pictures below)

Start		Finish
	Start (Side view)
	Lat-Pulldown To the Front

With the bar in this position, the elbows should be pointing to the sides of your waistline. While pulling the bar down slowly have a slight arch in your back. As the bar comes down move your head back slightly. Bring your upper body and head back to their original position as you slowly lower the weight. At this point you should be looking straight ahead. To avoid injury to the neck, never stick your head forward past your arms or turn your head to the left or right. Make sure you fully extend the arms at the elbows but do not relax at the top. Also, do not hyperextend your shoulders to try for that extra stretch. This could result in a shoulder injury. Keep the muscles under constant tension and do not cheat by heaving the bar down so that you can use extra weight. If you have to hunch forward as you pull the handle down then you are using too much weight. Remember to exhale as you pull the bar down and inhale as you allow the bar to return to the fully extended position.

Caution About Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

In this pulldown your palms are facing you as shown in the picture to your left instead of away from you as in the front lat pulldown described above. With a palms over grip in the front lat pulldown you do not have any torque, or twisting stress, applied to your wrist and elbow as you pull the bar down. However, once you turn your hands around with the palms facing you, you now have a tremendous amount of torque, or twisting stress, applied to the elbow and especially the wrist as you pull the bar down. That’s because the hand in this position wants to naturally supinate, or turn outward away from your body, as you bring your hands closer to your body, but since you are gripping a straight steel bar they are forced to stay in this straight position. Some people notice right away how uncomfortable this movement is while others will begin to notice signs of pain over time.

Since I have been training myself and others for over 35 years I can emphatically state from experience that this is a very unsafe movement and should be avoided if you do not want to have wrist and elbow pain.

Lat Pullover Machine
Since one of the functions of the lats is to pull the arms down in front of the body, this particular machine will allow the user to further develop them from a different angle. The caution here is to remember that a machine, unlike free weights, has a fixed pivot point with a locked-in motion that your body has to move in. Because of this your body may be forced into a biomechanical movement that is unduly stressful to the shoulder joint and over time could cause damage. Always make sure you are properly adjusted to the machine before performing this movement. This is done by adjusting the seat height so that the pivot point of the machine is lined up with your shoulder joint.
(See pictures below.)


Start (Side View)	Start (Front View)

Finish (Side View)

Exercise Performance
After the seat height is adjusted and you have comfortably positioned yourself, secure the seat belt if so equipped, and press the foot lever to position the movement pads allowing you to properly place your elbows on them. Now grip the crossbar gently, take your foot off of the foot lever, and allow the crossbar to travel up until your upper arms are parallel to your head. Never allow your upper arms to go back beyond the head. To do so only subjects the shoulder joint to unnecessary stress and possible injury.

After taking a deep breath, exhale slowly as you bring the handle down either into your upper thighs or your midsection, depending on the design of the pullover machine. Hold for a second then inhale as you allow the resistance to bring the handle back up until your upper arms are once again parallel to your head. Make sure that you lead with your elbows, not your hands. Never jerk the crossbar down or allow it to drop backwards without complete control. Always pull and let the handle rise slowly, keeping constant tension on the muscles throughout the movement. When you have finished your repetitions, step on the foot lever which will allow you to remove your arms safely. Then slowly let the foot lever up until the weight stack is completely down, then you can exit the machine safely. Always remember to keep your back flat against the pullover machine's back support when performing this movement. To assist in this, curl your trunk forward slightly when pulling the handle down.

Keep Your Workouts Safe
When performing these movements never hold your breath. This could cause you to blackout leading to an injury. Perform these exercises under full control at all times and never jerk on the handles. You could strain or pull a muscle.

Whenever you start any of these movements for the first time, or you are coming back from a layoff, always start slowly and work your way up in weight and sets over time. This way you will avoid extreme soreness and possible injury.

Make sure the muscles to be used are warmed up thoroughly before performing your more intense work sets. Keep your repetitions around 10 to 12 of 40 to 50% of your work sets for at least one to two sets to generate blood flow and warmth to the muscles. A properly warmed up muscle can be up to 20% stronger and is less likely to get injured.

One final note, if any of these exercises causes unusual discomfort or pain discontinue the movement immediately. Seek out a qualified Personal Trainer to make sure you are doing the movement properly. If you still have unusual pain and discomfort after readjusting the machines and trying various hand positions, then it would be advisable to get a medical clearance to rule out any kind of musculoskeletal or other health problems. This is especially true if your are a man forty and over or a woman fifty and over.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice which should always be obtained from a qualified health practitioner, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. If you have not exercised in some time, have any sort of health problem such as arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or asthma, or you are 50 and over, please get a physical and consult with a professional fitness trainer.