Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
The close-grip lat pulldown uses a narrow neutral handle, usually a V-bar, pulled to your chest. It trains the lats and mid back with strong biceps help. The neutral grip allows a longer range and a deeper stretch, and many lifters find it the most comfortable pulldown for the shoulders.
Muscles worked
The close-grip lat pulldown trains the lats and back, with biceps helping.
Weekly sets for lats
Hard sets per week that Swole.fit plans for lats, counting every exercise that trains it. Start a cycle near the growth line and climb toward the recovery limit before a deload.
How to do the close-grip lat pulldown
- 01Attach a V-handle or close neutral-grip bar and lock your thighs under the pad.
- 02Grab the handle with palms facing each other and sit down with arms fully extended.
- 03Lean back a few degrees and lift your chest toward the handle.
- 04Pull the handle to your upper chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- 05Let the handle rise slowly until your arms straighten and your lats stretch.
Coaching cues
- Elbows tight to the ribs
- Pull to the sternum
- Reach long at the top
Common mistakes
- Curling the handle down with the arms makes it a biceps exercise, so think about driving your elbows down instead.
- Rounding your upper back as you pull blocks the lats from shortening fully, so keep your chest up to meet the handle.
- Using a big swing to move heavier weight cuts real lat work, so pick a load you can pull with a still torso.
How Swole.fit programs it
Log it once and the app plans the next session for you.
- Most sets land between 8 and 15 reps, the range the plan steers compound lifts toward for size.
- Week one starts around 2 to 3 reps in reserve. Each week you train a little closer to failure, ending around 0 to 1 in reserve before a deload week.
- Hit the top of the range on every set and the next session adds the smallest real jump in weight, rounded to the plates, dumbbells or stack you actually have.
- Sets for this exercise count toward your weekly volume for every muscle it trains: a full set for the primary muscles, half a set for the helpers.
The full method, with the maths, is in how mesocycles work.
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown alternatives
Same muscles, different tool. Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or your joints want a change.
Log it. Let the app plan the next one.
Track your close-grip lat pulldown free. Swole.fit picks the next weight, counts your weekly sets and tells you when to deload.