What Exercise Can Replace Lat Pulldown?

There are various exercises that you can do to replace the lat pulldown workout. In this article, there are many exercises that you can do as an alternative to lat pulldown. But especially these targets for close grip pulldown workouts.To choose the lat pull down alternative, you have to consider the muscles that get worked by the exercise. The article also guides you on the lat pulldown alternatives that you can choose.

Some of the exercises that are listed below the close grip pulldown, pullovers, incline dumbbells rows, and more.The exercises target similar muscles as the lat pulldown. All these exercises and more are outlined in this article.

Close Grip Pulldown Muscles Worked.

The close grip pulldown primarily works the latissimus dorsi muscles which are also known as lats.In addition, it also targets traps, serratus posterior, shoulders and middle back muscles. To do the exercise, you will need a cable machine. Follow the steps below to execute the workout properly.

1. Attach a wide bar to the top pulley and then sit down at a cable machine. Adjust the knee pad to fit your height.
2. Grasp the bar with your hands a bit closer than the shoulder-width. Your palms must be facing away.
3. Extend your arms and push your chest out.
4. Then lower the bar towards your chest. Draw your shoulders and chest back.
5. Squeeze shoulder blades and return the bar to the starting position.
6. Repeat as much as you can.

Close Grip Pulldown Alternative.

As you look for close grip pulldown, you should consider the muscles that are worked by the workout.

As mentioned above, the close grip pull down works several muscles such as shoulders, traps, lats, and middle back muscles.

Therefore, the workouts that target similar muscles include face pulldown, pullovers, pull ups, incline dumbbell row, and many others. To do thee exercises follow the tips and steps below;

Face Pulldown.

The face pulldown workout is good for exercising the lats. Then other muscles that benefit include lower and middle traps, rear delts and the arm muscles.  To do the exercise follow the steps below;

1. Grasp the tricep pushdown rope
2. Take two steps back from the pulley and then kneel down.
3. Retract the scapula muscles and pull the rope towards your face
4. Squeeze before returning the rope to the starting position.
5. Repeat.

Incline Dumbbell Row.

The incline dumbbell primarily works the lats and traps muscles. However, it also exercises other muscles such as biceps. To do the incline dumbbell exercise, follow the steps below;

1. Start by setting the bench to accommodate your body to incline position.
2. Holding the dumbbell each in your hand, lay on the bench. Make sure that the abs and chest are resting on the bench. Your legs can be hanging by the bench sides.
3. Straighten your hands towards the floor
4. Tighten your abs and curl the dumbbells until the biceps are contracted. Pause in this position and squeeze your muscles before returning to the starting position.
5. Inhale and lower the weights to the starting position.
6. Repeat the moves.

Pullovers.

This exercise targets the lats and scapula muscles. Therefore, you can do the pullovers in place of the lat pulldown exercise. In addition, it also works with other muscles such as pecs, core, hips, and arms to a certain extent. To do the pullovers, you can follow the steps below;

1. Grasp the bar and brace your core and scapula.
2. Take some few steps back.
3. Press the hips and lean forward until you feel the lats stretching.
4. Pull down the bar towards your hips and squeeze.
5. Return the bar to the starting position and repeat.

Cable Close Grip Pulldown.

This exercise targets the latissimus dorsi. You need a lat pulldown  machine to do the exercise.

1. Start by attaching the grip handle to the machine and then seat down.
2. Grasp the grip handle at shoulder width with an underhand grip.
3. Prepare your shoulder blades by depressing them before extending the shoulders.
4. Then pull the grip handle towards your chest.
5. Return your hands to the starting position or until they are fully straight.
6. Repeat.

Lat Pulldown.

The lat pulldown exercise primarily targets the latissimus dorsi muscles. Having healthy lats gives your body a good posture. In addition to that, the exercise works the back muscles; thereby lessening more pressure to your arms muscles. You need a cable pulley machine to do the lat pulldown exercise. To do the exercise, you can follow the steps below;

1. Set up the cable pulley machine in such a way that you can reach the bar seated without standing up.
2. Get seated and keep your feet planted on the floor. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip.
3. Pull down the bar until it reaches your chin. Continue pulling it down until the bar reaches your chest or your elbows can’t move down anymore.
4. Finally, return the bar to the starting position.
5. Repeat to do 12 to 15 reps in a set.

Wide Grip Pulldown.

This is another exercise that primarily targets the latissimus dorsi muscles. In addition, other muscles that you can work out include the lower and middle trapezius, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, pectoralis minor, and many others. To do the exercise, follow the steps below;

1.  Start by setting the cable machine and make sure that the bar is a high setting.
2. Then sit down facing the cable machine and keep your back in a straight position.
3. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip and make sure that your arms are fully stretched. Your hands must be twice shoulder-width apart.
4. Pull the bar down to your chest.
5. Paue in this position.
6. Return the bar slowly to the starting position.
7. Repeat as much as you can.

Close Grip Pulldown Vs Wide Grip.

When doing these two exercises, the form is similar. In addition to that, the close grip pulldown and wide grip pulldown exercises work similar muscles. As mentioned above, the two exercises work the lats, shoulders, back, and arm muscles.

However, the two exercises differ on the level and degree in working the muscles. The wide grip pulldown is good for developing massive back muscles compared to the close grip pulldown. As such, if you want to have bigger and wider shoulders and back muscles, doing a wide grip is ideal. The close grip exercises the lats as well but it highly puts more pressure on the biceps brachii muscles.

That is, putting hands closer to each other when doing the pulldown puts more pressure on the biceps than the lats.

Close Grip Pulldown Dumbbell.

Lifting weights is good for developing muscle mass. It also strengthens the muscles. Doing a close grip pulldown dumbbell challenges your upper body muscles. This exercise is good for shoulders and arms muscles. To do the exercises, you can follow the steps below;

1. Holding dumbbells each in your hand, stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart.
2. Bring the dumb up and bend your arms such that the upper arm is parallel to the ground. This is your starting position.
3. Drive the dumbbells up until the arms are fully stretched.
4. Then slowly bring down the weight while squeezing the biceps. Bring the weight down until the upper arm is parallel to the ground.
5. Repeat as much as you can.

Close Grip Pulldown At Home.

Doing a pulldown exercise can be done at a gym facility or at home. As such, it you can do the close grip pulldown with or without gym equipment. If you don’t have a cable machine, you can do a lot of pulldown variations using any other means.

You can also do alternative exercises to target the same muscles that get worked by the close grip pulldown exercise. Below are some exercises that you can do at home in place of the close grip pulldown.

Resistance Band Pulldown.

This is a good exercise that you can do instead of the close grip pulldown if you don’t have the cable machine. The resistance band pulldown turrets the same muscles that get exercises by the cable machine close grip pulldown. The resistance band pulldown can be easily done at home with the use of a resistance band and a door. Follow the steps below to do the resistance band pulldown;

1. Secure the resistance band on top of the door and close the door. To make sure that the band is secure, make a knot in the midpoint of the band and then as you close the door, make sure that the knot is on the other side.
2. Hold both ends or of the resistance band and kneel on the floor facing the door. Make sure that you push your chest to stick up and out to maintain good posture.
3. Then pull down the band to bring down your hands towards the floor.
4. Return your hands and the band to the starting position.
5. Repeat the moves as much as you want.

Note that you can do this exercise while seated. You can use your chair and seat down facing the door and follow the above steps. Other exercises that you can do at home instead of the close grip pulldown include dumbbell rows, inverted row, barbell row, bent over rows, and more.

The Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the lat pulldown exercise primarily targets the lats muscles. Other muscles that get worked include the bicep, triceps, rhomboids, serratus anterior, and more. As such, considering the muscles that get worked by the lat pulldown exercises, you can do other workouts that target similar muscles. The exercises that can be done as an alternative to lat pulldown include face pulldown, incline dumbbell row, pullovers, and many other exercises discussed above. These exercises also work the same muscles as the lat pulldown.

Some of these exercises require gym equipment. However, if you don’t have the equipment you can use other means to do the exercises. All this info is outlined in the above text.

Which exercises do you do that hit the same muscles as the lat pulldown workout? Share your experience.