EXERCISE · CABLE
Lat Pulldown
BackArms
Lat pulldown teaches your back to work instead of your arms, but most people get it wrong by pulling with their hands instead of their elbows. Your elbows do the work; your hands are just hooks. Sit with your feet planted and thighs snug under the pad so your body doesn't rise as you extend. Pull the bar down by driving your elbows down and keeping them close to your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the bottom. Grip width doesn't matter—research shows narrow, wide, or shoulder-width all hit your lats the same way. Behind-the-neck pulldowns are the one variation worth skipping; they jam your shoulders into a bad position and don't give you anything extra.