Anyone do straight arm pulldowns?

[dantelis]

Does anyone do straight arm pulldowns for back?  I did them today at the end of my back workout and could really feel it work the outer lats.  If anyone does these, have them been helpful in increasing lat width? 

[candidizzle]

yes ! i do these every back workout.

[wes]

Good finishing exercise for lats!!

I do them a lot.

[candidizzle]

a piece of advice... put your hands closer together, dont go up so high (keep tension on the lats) leanforward a little bit, and arch your back..   ..try it that way next time..  trust ! me

[pumpster]

Basically a pullover; also try with arms slightly bent and using a rope attachment, kneeling or sitting to get a better stretch. Very good exercise whether used to finish or as part of the main course.

[coltrane]

also, another variation after straight arm standing ones loss effectiveness:

seated (or kneeling) one arm pulldowns.  These isolate one side at a time. 

I've found that doing more one-sided movements helps my lats grow better.  Ex:  one armed cable rows, db rows, one-armed pulldowns etc...

just some variations i've found effective

[dantelis]

Cool!  Thanks for all the great advice.  I'll definitely continue doing this exercise.

Interesting, Pumpster, equating it with a pullover.  It is a pullover, but with a different range of motion and point of flexion.  I find pullovers work my intercostals more and that I just don't feel them in my lats the way I do the straight arm pulldowns.

Thanks for the advice on variations candidizzle.  I'll give your way a shot and see how it feels.

[candidizzle]

Cool!  Thanks for all the great advice.  I'll definitely continue doing this exercise.

Interesting, Pumpster, equating it with a pullover.  It is a pullover, but with a different range of motion and point of flexion.  I find pullovers work my intercostals more and that I just don't feel them in my lats the way I do the straight arm pulldowns.

Thanks for the advice on variations candidizzle.  I'll give your way a shot and see how it feels.

very intense inner back back contractions bro !

[webcake]

One of my favourite exercises. I always do them in between sets of barbell rows. 

[Zach Trowbridge]

When I do them I use one of the FreeMotion Dual Cross machines that have two handles that you can adjust to varying heights, and have them shoulder width all the way up.  When you come down you can bring your hands as far behind your body as you want, letting you really squeeze the shoulder blades down and back more than you could with just a bar or rope attachment.  Different from a pullover because the emphasis is on the contraction rather than the stretch.

[NoCalBbEr]

I only do them when I'm pre exhausting my back workout

[pumpster]

When I do them I use one of the FreeMotion Dual Cross machines that have two handles that you can adjust to varying heights, and have them shoulder width all the way up.  When you come down you can bring your hands as far behind your body as you want, letting you really squeeze the shoulder blades down and back more than you could with just a bar or rope attachment.  Different from a pullover because the emphasis is on the contraction rather than the stretch.

Good example of a machine sometimes doing it better.

They don't have to be just a finishing exercise.

[J.O.B.]

ur not squeezing ur lats at the bottom of the rep, waste of time n energy rite thr

[Charlys69]

i used it today for the final pump in my back-workout. I use the upper cable row working up to 275 lbs. and doing 19 reps in Pitt-Hardcore-Style (12 reps, 4-5 seconds rest, another 2, 5-6 seconds rest, another 2, 6-7 rest another 1 and so on).

First exercise lat pulldown 1 arm pyramide up to 335 lbs for 6 reps
second: T-Bar row lying on a bench (Pitt-Force) single-reps with short rest 3-8 seconds in between, 11 x 420 lbs
third: "prayer" Pitt-Hardcore 19 x 275 lbs

[slaveboy1980]

i used it today for the final pump in my back-workout. I use the upper cable row working up to 275 lbs. and doing 19 reps in Pitt-Hardcore-Style (12 reps, 4-5 seconds rest, another 2, 5-6 seconds rest, another 2, 6-7 rest another 1 and so on).

First exercise lat pulldown 1 arm pyramide up to 335 lbs for 6 reps
second: T-Bar row lying on a bench (Pitt-Force) single-reps with short rest 3-8 seconds in between, 11 x 420 lbs
third: "prayer" Pitt-Hardcore 19 x 275 lbs

hey man, impressive weights but i think its easier if you start your own training log instead...?

[dov]

Some refer to these as "Dickerson's" ....very good squeeze..just did these yesterday for the 1st time in a while and my lats are on fire today