LiftMend › Exercises › Lat pulldown
Lat pulldown: how to do it
A vertical pull that doesn't load the lower back. Works: Lats (large back muscles) and biceps.
Try: 3 sets of 10
Form cues
- Thighs locked under the pad.
- Pull the bar to your upper chest.
- Elbows down and back, no swinging.
Setup and the most common mistake
Set the thigh pad so it holds your legs down firmly with feet flat. Pick the weight with the pin. Stand to grab the bar a little wider than your shoulders, then sit.
Common mistake: Leaning far back and swinging the bar down. Lean back only slightly and pull to your upper chest, never behind your neck.
If lat pulldown hurts
Don't push through sharp pain. These are the swaps LiftMend suggests with a similar movement, easier or kinder first:
General exercise information, not medical advice. If you have pain that is sharp, getting worse, or follows an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
Follow a plan, not a list
LiftMend builds exercises like this into short sessions that work around a sore back, knee or shoulder. Swap any move that hurts, get timers that run themselves, and ask the AI coach between sets. Free to download.