lat pull downs (wide grip pullups)

[TjD]

ive always gotten conflicting answers on this so ill throw it out here :)


when your fully contracted, should the bar touch your upper chest or your upper back?

(ie) do you pull the bar down in front of your head, or in back?


peace
travis

[Kumkuat]

front

[IronFist]

I always tell people front.

I always do it to the back.

I'm such a hypocrite. But, I know how flexible my shoulders are, and I know what I can and cannot take. I have no idea where other people are, so I always tell them front to be safe. I don't want someone to screw up their shoulder and blame it on me.

Is there a difference between front and back? Beats me. People say doing it to the back stretches the lats more, but I've seen some people with some huge lats who do it to the front.

Do it to the front.

IronFist

[IronFist]

One more thing. If you insist on doing them to the back, don't pull the bar down to your back. At the top of the movement the part where your skull touches your neck should touch the bar, so really the bar doesn't get as low as your back. Lean your head forward a bit, too.

But do them to the front.

IronFist

[TjD]

ahh ok

well ive always done them in the back as well :)

was just wondering what the deal was with all that

thanks

peace
trav

[nospam]

Going to the front is more for outer lat thickness.

Performing them to the back will target the lower part of the muscle group, and IMNSHO, increase strength to the rotator cuffs.

I prefer going to the back with lighter weight than what I would when going to the front. You tend to cheat more when going to the front - if you watch people doing WEIGHT to the front, they have exaggerated body english to help move the poundage. IMNSHO...just plan poor form.

My other fav move done to the front is to use the seated row bar (where the hands are very close together) and pull the weight down, concentrating on using more of the lower and inner lat. I've never done this with heavy weight as I see it more as a defining exercise - get the body weight down and talk about great striations! A great great little exercise. That is how I end my back routine.

nospam.
:cool:

[IronFist]

Originally posted by nospam
My other fav move done to the front is to use the seated row bar... I've never done this with heavy weight as I see it more as a defining exercise - get the body weight down and talk about great striations

Do you mean this exercises causes defintion? Or you get great striations by getting the body weight (I assume you mean body fat percentage) down?

IronFist

[nospam]

Well indeed, to 'see' the striations body fat must be down. I guess it is a mind set I have when I perform that exercise. bodybuilding is 10% physical 90% mental.

If you can get the body fat down, that is what and where the exercise in question is good for.

nospam.
:cool: