The most common mistake made during the lat pull-down exercise

Posted on April 13, 2007
Filed Under Features, Fitness | Leave a Comment

The lat pull-down exercise is golden when it comes to training your lats (scientifically known as the Latissimus Dorsi muscles.) It is a great exercise for strengthening your back and improving your posture. But this is only true if the exercise is performed correctly. I go to the gym regularly and I have seen numerous people perform this exercise in a dangerous manner.

First of all, the lat pull-down is most often executed on the proper equipment called the lat pull-down machine. This guide focuses on lat pull-downs using a wide bar which is the one often performed improperly. The mistake most people make is to pull the bar down and behind their neck. This is the wrong movement and it can cause serious injury to your neck and shoulder especially when working with large weights! For example, a tear in the rotator cuff is a common injury for those who do not have very flexible shoulder joints. To correctly perform the exercise and minimize the dangers to your health, while holding the bar at the starting position, lean slight backwards and then pull the bar down so that it touches your chest.

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