Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredCable
- MechanicsCompound
- Force TypePull (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back
Target Muscle Group
Lats
V-Bar Pull Down Overview
The V-bar lat pull down is a variation of the lat pull down and an exercise commonly used to target the muscles of the back.
Commonly mistaken for a close grip pull down, the V-bar pull down does utilize a closer grip than the traditional lat pull down. However, the main difference between the two is the neutral hand placement used during the V-bar pull down.
This neutral hand placement can aid in alleviating stress placed on the shoulder during the vertical pulling movement pattern.
V-Bar Pull Down Instructions
- Attach a V-bar to the lat pulldown machine and assume a seated position.
- Grasp the handle with a neutral grip and initiate the movement by depressing the shoulder blades and then flexing the elbow while extending the shoulder.
- Pull the handle towards your body until the elbows are in line with your torso and then slowly lower the handle back to the starting position under control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
V-Bar Pull Down Tips
- Keep some tone through your abdominals as you pull the bar into your body to ensure you don’t arch excessively through the spine.
- Don’t allow momentum to dictate the movement, control the dumbbells throughout the entirety of each rep.
- If you feel your biceps being overused and your back remaining under active, consider utilizing a false grip (i.e. don’t wrap the thumb around the dumbbell).
- Don’t allow the head to jut forward as you pull.
- Similarly, ensure the shoulder blade moves on the rib cage. Don’t lock the shoulder blade down and just move through the glenohumeral joint.
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