wide and close grip pull downs for back?

[speed]

i got confused im hearing both sides now, and which one is better for the width

 

[jm425]

Wide grip overhand is best for width.

 

[oldfella]

Both will build a high quality back. I do use both in workouts. Good strict seated rows will bring out some width also. But wider grip is not always the better grip. It is about feeling the lats work as you pull down. Just remember to pull from the elbows rather than your hands. Keep as much bicep out of it as you can and use the eccentric part of the movement wisely. Really go for the feel in the lats as you let the weight down slowly in which ever movement you use.

 

[Lenny]

Close Grip supplement wide grip pull-ups so well, they complete the back width from inside to the outside lats. I alternated sets with close grip and wide grip...of course you need to be doing rows, DL, etc...as well, but I personally love PULL-UPS...such a great back exercise!

 

[buselmo]

I have short arms (relatively), doing a wide grip pull up would cause my biceps to fail way before my back does... so i choose a narrow grip to limit bicep involvement...

i'd say it depends on your structure... i have clients that "feel" it more in their back when they do a wide grip, and other when they do a close grip...
so, just try it... see which one hits your back more.

 

[EYE2EYE]

I did wide grip pulldowns yesterday using my flexolate straps.
Really felt a differance.Peace.

 

[HOTROCKS]

Would the wide grip replace the seated row?
Let me rephrase this question .
Does the Pull down and the seated row hit the same muscles.
I've been doing wide grip , seated rows and cable straight Arm pulldown?
Should I rotate between the wide grip and the seated rows, or drop one completely?
The cable straight arm pulldown hit my lats hard . I use the tricep rope when doing this exercise.
That one exercise will always be in my back routine for me it is a killer.

 

[xxsuprman22xx]

width and thickness go hand in hand for me

i do them wide

 

[loudog]

do you guys not think that it has more to do with a persons actual structure

 

[cpesloco]

but I personally love PULL-UPS...such a great back exercise!

agree, everyone I know that does them has wide define backs. I added them consistently to my routine back in Jan and my back looks 100% better.

 

[JonnyO]

I have short arms (relatively), doing a wide grip pull up would cause my biceps to fail way before my back does... so i choose a narrow grip to limit bicep involvement...

i'd say it depends on your structure... i have clients that "feel" it more in their back when they do a wide grip, and other when they do a close grip...
so, just try it... see which one hits your back more.

Yates wasnt a big proponent of wide grips either for the reasons you just mentioned. Wide grip your biceps going to fail before the lats every time. You also get a better/longer stretch with a more narrow grip.

 

[Bigluice]

Wide grip pulldowns/pullups will work your upper lat, giving you more overall width. Close grip reverse hand will work your lower lats, help with width, but show your lats better from a front view. And seated rows, work lower and upper lats, but more stress on your rhomboids. If ur looking for width stick with pulldown movements. If your looking for thickness, stick with pulling movements like, bent rows, seated rows, single arm dumbell row, etc.

 

[bigguns078]

Pullups (with varrying grips) and stretching
I really like the palms facing in grip while holding two wide parallel bars

 

[brisk walk]

Now this is just my .02, but I rank pulldowns near the bottom.

the only pulldown I might use is reverse grip pulldowns.......with a very close grip......Yates style.

Pulldowns just don't hit my lats the way seated rows do or even db rows do.

I like to use hammer high rows and hammer low rows........but cable pulldowns just don't agree with me.

 

[brisk walk]

Yates wasnt a big proponent of wide grips either for the reasons you just mentioned. Wide grip your biceps going to fail before the lats every time. You also get a better/longer stretch with a more narrow grip.

EXCELLENT POST.........I AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS!!!!!!

 

[thebrick]

personally...

I have never liked wide grip pulldowns (or pull ups). I always felt it in my lats much, much more with a narrow under hand grip, pulling at the elbows.

 

[madmick]

I do 3 sets of each

 

[jm425]

IMO, the best exercise for lat width would be rack chins. For me anyways, I have never felt more of the workload on my lats on any exercise than rack chins with wide grip overhand.