Guide To Buying A Lat Pulldown Machine
A lat pulldown machine provides a full range of motion for back exercises and lets you isolate the lat muscles in your back. If used correctly, it can increase muscle definition and strength in your back, biceps, and forearms. To buy the right lat pulldown, ensure it fits your budget and is adjustable to suit your height and build.
Product Comparison Table
What To Look for
29/03/2020
Single vs. Multifunctional Lat Pulldown
- You can go for a dedicated, single pulley lat pulldown if you have adequate equipment to work your other muscles.
- On the other hand, if you do not have much equipment yet, select a multi-functional lat pulldown as it also has a bottom pulley to let you perform cable rows, cable curls, pull-throughs, and more.
- Keep in mind, if you’re buying equipment for a commercial gym, then you should always have a dedicated lat pulldown as it one of the most commonly used machines.
Consider your budget.
- A worthwhile lat pulldown machine costs between $300 to $700 for home use and between $1,500 to $3,000 for commercial gyms.
- The price increases as the build quality improves since better materials offer more durability and smoother motion of the bar.
- Additionally, a multifunctional machine will cost substantially more than a dedicated lat pulldown for home use.
The seat or leg restraint must be adjustable in height.
- The seat’s height or leg restraint need to be adjustable to hold you down.
- The seat and leg restraint are ordinarily never too close together, but if they are too far apart, you will get pulled up along with the bar when it goes back up.
Buy your weight stack and lat pulldown from the same manufacturer.
- Lat pulldowns can use weight plates or a weight stack. If you’re buying a lat pull down that uses a weight stack, make sure the weight stack is supplied by the same manufacturer.
- You will often save money buying a weight stack from the same company by getting a combo deal for the lat pulldown and weight stack.
Top Picks
Best Commercial Lat Pulldown
TuffStuff PPS-210
For $3,499.00
- Weight stack shroud to keep weights clean
- Stable frame and bar motion
- Generously padded seat and leg restraint
Best Lat Pulldown For Home Gyms
Body Solid Pro Clubline Lat Pull-down
For purchase
- Effectively isolates lats
- Smooth motion of the bar
- High quality manufacturing
- Impractical for home use
Best Multifunctional Lat Pulldown
XMark XM-7618
For $720.00
- Top and bottom pulleys
- Can be used for rowing
- Foot pads for stability while rowing
- Not exactly cheap
Best Lat Pulldown On A Budget
Powerline PLM180X Lat Machine
For $687.87
- Basic, but works well for its price
- Relatively inexpensive
- Simplistic and aesthetic design
- Unadjustable leg restraint or seat
Common Questions
Q:Are there any fitness benefits of the lat pulldown machine?
There are many! Apart from targeting your lats, the machine also works on your rhomboids, trapezius, brachioradialis, brachialis, biceps, shoulder muscles like deltoids, teres major, and infraspinatus. Working out on this machine induces better muscular balance and improves your overall strength. The exercises performed on this machine also promote better posture and aesthetics. When done properly, they help reduce pain and tension in joints.
Q:What exercises can I do on this machine?
You can do several exercises and variations on this machine. We list some of the most effective exercises here:
- Wide-grip Lat pulldown: For improving overall strength and getting a wider back.
- Single-arm Lat pulldown: Unlike the traditional wide grip pulldown, this exercise is performed by using a single hand. It maximizes the squeeze at the bottom of each lift and leverages the mind-muscle connection.
- Close grip pulldown: Pulling down the bar in a reverse grip with your hands close to each other activates your center-back more.
- Behind the neck pulldown: This exercise is effective for building lean muscle mass, as you experience a stronger contraction with this range of motion.
- Standing pulldown: Also called straight arm pulldown, this exercise several muscles in your upper body and also works your core.
You can also use the machine to do tricep and bicep exercises too.
Q:Which muscles does the Lat pulldown machine target?
You can do various exercises at the Lat pulldown machine. The Lat pulldown exercises target your Latissimus Dorsi muscle (Lats), which is the broadest muscle in your back. Some exercises target your upper back while the others target the lower back.
Q:How do I choose between doing pull-ups or Lat pulldowns?
It’s best to incorporate both in your workout. Pull-ups require you to hoist your own body weight, whereas pulldowns allow you to adjust the weight stack to decide how much weight to pull down. Pull-ups are more effective in improving your overall strength; your entire upper body and core have to work hard to hoist you up. Pulldowns, on the other hand, help you build different muscles on your back. A combination of both will help you build more strength and work on not only your back but also your biceps.
Q:What’s a V-bar pulldown? How do I perform V-bar pulldowns on the Lat machine?
This is an alternative to the close grip pulldown, with the added benefit of your hands being in a neutral position as you grip the V-bar. Apart from activating your lats, it also works on your shoulders and biceps.
- Attach the V bar to the Lat pulldown machine.
- With your palms facing each other, grab the V-bar.
- Stick your chest outwards and lean back 30 degrees.
- Pull the handle while flexing the elbows and extending the shoulder. Stop pulling the handle once your elbows are in line with your body.
- Hold for a second and then reverse back to the starting position.