The Difference Between Reverse Grip Lat Pulldowns and Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

How you grip the overhead bar as you perform lat pulldowns influences what percentage of the load your major back muscle has to handle. Using a reverse grip allows other muscles to contribute, while the traditional wide grip places more emphasis on the back. Both versions are effective and both can be safely incorporated into your back workouts.

  1. Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown

    • The reverse-grip lat pulldown requires that you hold the overhead bar with your hands set to shoulder-width apart and with your palms facing you. As you pull the bar down to your upper chest, your shoulders are performing extension, which means your upper arms are moving directly back behind you. In addition, your elbows are flexing, or bending, as you pull.

    Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

    • The most common way to perform the lat pulldown is with your hands in a wide, overhead position. Grip the bar with your hands positioned about 6 inches wider than your shoulders and with your palms facing away from you. When you pull the bar down to your upper chest with this grip, your shoulders are performing adduction, which means your arms are pulled in toward the sides of your body. Your elbows are once again flexing as you pull down, though not to the same degree as during the reverse-grip version. According to ExRx.net, if your grip on the bar is too wide, you’ll limit the shoulders’ range of motion and the exercise won’t be as effective.

    Muscles

    • The latissimus dorsi is the largest muscle in your back and it’s responsible for handling both shoulder extension and adduction. Therefore, it’s the primary muscle recruited during both the reverse- and wide-grip lat pulldown. According to a 2011 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research," using a pronated grip, which means your hands are facing away from you, is best if you’re looking to primarily target the latissimus dorsi. This is because when using a reverse grip, your elbow flexors, including the biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis, are in a position where they can contribute more. So, if you’d like to also target your arms, you’ll want to use the reverse version.

    Safety

    • Lat pulldowns are safe when performed correctly. A common mistake when performing the wide-grip lat pulldown is to pull the bar behind the head instead of in front. This places unsafe stress on your shoulder joints, which can in turn lead to instability issues. Always pull the bar in front of your face to your upper chest during the wide-grip lat pulldown. In addition, during both wide-grip and reverse-grip pulldowns, lifters often don't hold their shoulders stable when controlling the bar back up to the starting position. Instead, they incorrectly allow their shoulders to lift up toward their ears. Avoid the tendency to shrug your shoulders as you control the bar back overhead.