Jay Cutler Reveals 3 Common Lat Pulldown Mistakes—and How You Can Fix Them

Jay Cutler loves a good lat pulldown, but the four-time Mr. Olympia says that while this move may be basic in concept, there are three areas of improvement he often observes when casting an eye around the gym. Fortunately, the bodybuilding legend had school in session during a recent Instagram post and explained how to make your own lat pulldowns far less lame.

“This is a basic exercise that should really be included in just about everyone’s back workouts,” encouraged Cutler. “But it’s also an exercise that I see room for improvement on with many younger or new lifters!”

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Indeed, the lat pulldown is one of the most recognizable machines in the gym and is a tried and tested exercise for building a V-shaped back because it stimulates the latissimus dorsi, helping you to spread those wings. You will also work supporting muscles such as the lower and middle trapezius, the rhomboid, abs, and even the arms, but if you want to get the best bang for your gym membership buck, you’ll need to perform the move correctly.

Jay Cutler’s Tips To Avoid 3 Common Lat Pulldown Mistakes

Leaning back too far

“I see people leaning back way too much on the lat pulldown,” explained Cutler in an Instagram post for his 5.6 million Instagram followers, “where they’re coming way back.” In the video, the bodybuilder demonstrates how leaning back too far ruins posture for this exercise, instead placing an emphasis on the chest and arms rather than the back. To fix this mistake, look ahead at a fixed point rather than rock your head and keep the back upright and still. Don’t swing at the hips and let the back and shoulders do as much work as possible, relying less on the arms.

Partial Reps

Partial reps may have a place at the end of a heavy set, but if adopted as a staple they can diminish the results of your lat pulldowns. “You want to get that full contraction on the lats,” coached Cutler. “Not actually touching the chest but you get that arch, enough, to really bring the lats in.” Going further, concentrating on a full and controlled rep also allows you to practice time under tension to really tax those lats.

Relying on Momentum

“So, a lot of people are using too much momentum,” observed the master of muscle. “They’re jerking the weight, not really using (the lats). They’re using the biceps and everything else but the lats. You really want to engage the lats, get that full contraction. Sometimes you even want to pause,” explained Cutler, highlighting the effectiveness of the aforementioned tactic of time under tension. “You want to get that squeeze (at the top of the movement). So, you come down, you kind of lock the lats right there, get that squeeze so you can really engage those fibers that aren’t always being used, depending on your training style.” Cutler showed that holding at the top of the movement adds a great stretch to the exercise.

Now that you know how to make your lat pulldowns less lame, aim for three heavy sets, working towards failure for 8-12 reps. “Tran hard. Train smart. Let’s get after it!” encouraged the dream gym partner.