How to Do a V-Bar Pulldown

The large fan-like muscle located in the middle to lower back, the lats – or latissiumus dorsi – supports your torso and helps you to stand up straight and to adduct and extend your arms and shoulders. When the lats become weak, back pain can ensue and the lack of strength may cause your upper body to hunch forward. The V-bar pulldown can help to strengthen and balance the lats. The benefit of the V-bar, which uses a close grip rather than the wide grip used in a traditional pulldown, is that the supporting biceps and shoulders will also be trained.

Instructions

    • 1

      Warm your body up by walking, jogging, jumping rope or performing another form of light cardio exercise for approximately 10 minutes. Follow up the cardio with five to eight pushups and body-weight squats to activate your muscle fibers.

    • 2

      Attach a V-bar to the top pulley on a lat pulldown machine. Set your preferred resistance level; the weight should allow you to complete between eight to 12 repetitions with proper form.

    • 3

      Sit on the seat and place your feet flat on the floor. Adjust the knee pads to sit on top of your thighs; the pads keep your body from lifting at the bottom of the exercise.

    • 4

      Take hold of the V-bar with your palms facing each other. Elongate your spine, pull your abs in toward your spine, straighten your back, lift your chest and slide your shoulder blades down your back.

    • 5

      Exhale and pull the V-bar down to your chest. Initiate the movement from your lats rather than from momentum; the torso should remain stationary throughout the pull down. Keep your elbows in close to the body rather than allowing them to stick out to the sides.

    • 6

      Hold the contraction for one count and then allow the bar to rise up to the starting position as you straighten your arms. Complete three sets of eight to 12 exercises.

    • 7

      Stretch your back with the cat stretch after performing the V-bar pulldown. Come to all fours on the floor with your hands stacked under your shoulders and knees stacked under your hips. Relax your back and abdomen so they fall toward the floor. Reverse the motion by pulling your abs in and round your spine toward the ceiling. Hold the contraction for 20 seconds and then return to the starting position. Perform five rounds of the cat stretch.