Lat pull downs vs. pull ups

[nothuman]

If you are choosing between the two, you're doing it wrong. Gotta do both, and also both wide grip and narrow grip.

 

[doug1]

After years of doing all the different movements with different grip positions etc. I have settled into pull ups with a neutral/hammer grip, slightly wider than shoulder width. Phil Hernon, Dorian Yates, and a chiro contributed to me coming to those conclusions. The grip takes the stress off the shoulders and the width puts the biceps in a strong enough position to still hit the back hard.

 

[PitbullTank]

one thing not a lot of people let their ego do is use the assisted pull up machine... at the end of a back workout i usually end with some pull-ups without assistance , then when i can't do 10ish with different grips, ill use the assist pad to get a higher (15-20) rep set or 2 on it

i was big believer in weighted pull-ups for mass, but i found they started to cause me alottt of elbow problems when i started to get up to hanging weights off me doing them so i don't use them for a builder really anymore... for building muscle in the lats, especially that top width under your armpits, dantes rack chins are better imo... never had a elbow problem w that angle of exercise

 

[dnab87]

I love the assisted pull up machine. Usually do 50 reps to finish my workouts with as many sets as it takes.

Usually have to wait for some chick to get done with her hardcore 1 legged glute pushdown circuit she saw on IG.

 

[PitbullTank]

Usually have to wait for some chick to get done with her hardcore 1 legged glute pushdown circuit she saw on IG.

lol... after watching a lot of chicks do that, i tried to make an exercise up that would actually work, and it works pretty well... I'm sure someone has done them, i just never saw them... basically you do a seated tricep 1 arm press down on the assist platform while sitting on the step up foot pads facing away... can't really explain which angle to go at, just kinda gotta try to feel it out...

 

[Elvia1023]

lol... after watching a lot of chicks do that, i tried to make an exercise up that would actually work, and it works pretty well... I'm sure someone has done them, i just never saw them... basically you do a seated tricep 1 arm press down on the assist platform while sitting on the step up foot pads facing away... can't really explain which angle to go at, just kinda gotta try to feel it out...

I sometimes do them but always 2 arms at a time. I mainly do them backwards but sometimes facing the machine too. I will have to try them 1 handed next time.

 

[PitbullTank]

I sometimes do them but always 2 arms at a time. I mainly do them backwards but sometimes facing the machine too. I will have to try them 1 handed next time.

yes, facing the machine ill bend over 90* and do basically a diamond hand position pushup on the pad pushing it straight down tracking the elbow directly outwards... not a power movement but a good finisher,.... if i have a partner ill just do them on the floor and have them put a plate on my back, those for power and building are awesome for me..

looking great btw broskii, keep it up :headbang:

 

[biglizard225]

Been doing pull downs with my body facing away from the stack and Leg pads.

It takes the cheating out of it for me and I can really focus on contracting my upper back. Just started imploying these a few months ago and I make sure I do them every back workout closer towards the end of the workout to finish off my back and get a good pump.

Usually do some muscles rounds or drop sets with very wide grip

 

[timt53]

I like the assisted pullup machine as well. But I do do lat pulldowns to the front most back days

 

[rcorchid]

I love the assisted pull up machine. Usually do 50 reps to finish my workouts with as many sets as it takes.

Usually have to wait for some chick to get done with her hardcore 1 legged glute pushdown circuit she saw on IG.

^^^This, exactly, haha.

 

[dsteelo455]

if i had to choose, i hate to say but i'd take pulldowns, and I am a big fan of pullups.

 

[johnsmith19731974]

I like to superset the two myself. Lat pulldowns followed by non assisted pull ups neutral grip. Then ,as others have stated, when I cant do anymore of those I use assistance.

 

[Elvia1023]

Another useful thing to do are lat pulldowns to failure then straight over to do pullups. Obviously if you have just failed full rom are not possible but a partial rom just concentrating on your lats are great. I need to start doing this myself again. You could do the opposite and start with normal pull ups then lat pulldowns too.

 

[alfresco]

good one

. . . You could do the opposite and start with normal pull ups then lat pulldowns too.

Much better. Far superior.

 

[heavyhitter]

I find once I get up around 240 or so pull-ups start causing me a lot of elbow tendinitis and shoulder pain. I like rack Chins and assisted pull-ups better when heavier in body weight

 

[method2madness]

Pull ups, no question.