Lat pulldown: technique and common mistakes

Step by step

Adjust the thigh pad so it holds your thighs firmly with your feet flat on the floor.
Grip the bar with palms facing away and hands a little wider than your shoulders, then sit down.
Lean back slightly, lift your chest and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
Pull the bar by driving your elbows down and to your sides until it reaches your upper chest.
Squeeze your back for a moment at the bottom, without leaning further back.
Let the bar rise under control until your arms are straight, letting your shoulders rise at the end.

Tip: If you want to do pull-ups, keep adding weight on the pulldown until you get close to your body weight.

Pulling behind the neck

It strains the shoulder with no extra benefit for your back. Always pull in front, to your chest.

Swinging your torso

Leaning back on every rep turns it into a momentum row. Keep your torso still and lower the weight.

Pulling with your arms only

If you mostly feel your biceps, think about driving your elbows to your pockets, not pulling the bar to you.

Letting the bar fly up

Letting the weight rise on its own loses half the work. Control the way up.

Guide ranges. Start with a weight where the last rep is hard but your technique holds.

In GymOrbita you log every set and the app suggests the weight for your next session based on what you did last time.

If the machine is busy or you want a variation:

Wide or close grip?

Both work your back. Wide is the classic; close or V-grip gives a longer range and usually lets you move a bit more weight. You can alternate.

Lat pulldown or pull-ups?

Pull-ups are harder; the pulldown lets you choose the weight. If you can't do pull-ups with good form yet, the pulldown is where to start.

General technique information, not a substitute for professional advice. If you have an injury or pain, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first.