Your latissimus dorsi, or "lat" muscles, make up the middle of your back and are the main muscles that help your shoulders move back toward your body. If you’re a rower, swimmer or are seeking that V-taper on your back that makes your waist look small, an exercise called the "lat pull-down" can help to develop this area. To correctly perform the exercise, you must pull your shoulder blades together during the main action of the exercise. Always talk with your doctor before beginning any muscle-building exercise...
Also known as your lats, you rely on these muscles to bring a heavy box down from a top shelf or to pull an object directly in front of you toward your body. One of the most common exercises to work the lats is the lat pull-dow...
The reverse-grip pull down, more often called the reverse-grip “lat” pull down, is an exercise that targets the back and biceps. It’s performed on a pull-down machine, which you'll find in gyms or health clubs...
When stunting in cheerleading, your dismount can be just as impressive as the stunt itself. A double down is one of the most difficult stunting dismounts you can do. In a double down, the top person is popped from a stunt and e...
A lat pulldown works your back and biceps with assistance from other, smaller muscles. To perform the exercise, which simulates a chinup, you must have access to a pulldown machine. These devices are found in many gyms and allo...
As a muscle-enhancing exercising targeting arm, back and shoulder muscles, the lat pulldown requires the use of a cable machine with an attached bar and a seat. However, the lat pulldown does not work the quadriceps at all. Bef...
Possibly, this is because the biceps are out front and relatively easy to flex. Looking at the arms on a dedicated bodybuilder, you notice the triceps are the largest muscle group in the upper arms. Targeting the triceps with t...
Lat pull-downs work your latissimus dorsi, the largest muscle in your back. The muscle is in the middle and outer part of your back, and it assists in shoulder and scapula movement. While lat pull-downs commonly are done on a m...
After you finish your first set of lat pull-downs, change your handgrip and do tricep extensions. Alternating lat pull-downs with tricep extensions is wise because you can use the same cable or pulley machine, rest one muscle g...
A stiff-arm pulldown is a resistance-training exercise done on a machine that has a weight stack with a cable attached to it. The cable travels around overhead pulleys so that when you pull the end of the cable down, the weight...
The triceps pulldown exercise, which is also commonly referred to as triceps pushdown, is an isolated exercise, meaning it only requires movement around one type of joint. It's done on a pulley cable unit that's offered at most...
Like pullups and a variety of row exercises, doing lat pulldowns on a cable machine works every major back and shoulder muscle you have. Because the handle doesn't move in a set track as it would in a lever gym machine, you can...
The bar is connected to a cable that wraps around an overhead pulley before attaching to a weight stack. When you push the bar down, the weights rise to provide opposition. Triceps pushdowns work the muscles on the back of your...
The lat --- short for latissimus --- pulldown is a compound, multi-joint exercise for your back muscles. The pulldown movement mimics a pullup, except you pull the weight down to you instead of pulling your body up to a bar. Yo...
The lateral pulldown, also called a lat pulldown, is a compound strength-training exercise, meaning it requires movement around more than one joint. Lateral pulldowns work a variety of muscles in your upper body. You complete t...
The abdominals are a muscle group that consist of the rectus abdominis and the obliques. The rectus abdominis functions to flex the spine. The obliques function to flex, laterally flex and rotate the spine. Basic movements such...
Cable pulldowns work every major muscle in your back, making them an excellent exercise for both simulating real world movements and toning in a hurry. If you don't have access to a cable machine, you can perform the same exerc...
Reverse grip pulldowns are often incorporated into a training program for your back. It is performed on a cable apparatus with a straight bar. Grip the bar about shoulder-width apart with your palms facing your body. Sit down a...
Thera-Bands are rubber exercise resistance bands. You use the band with or without handles to perform strength-training exercises. A traditional back pull-down exercise is performed with bent arms and resembles a pullup exercis...
The lat pulldown is a compound strength-training exercise designed to develop the major muscle in your back. The movement is similar to a pullup, but instead of using your body weight as resistance, the exercise is typically co...
You can perform lat pulldowns by pulling the cable or bar in front of your head or behind it, depending on your goals. The most beneficial pulldowns are those performed in front of you, writes exercise physiologist Owen Warren ...
However, a strong back is key in developing an overall muscular physique. Furthermore, strong back muscles can help you perform other mass-building exercises such as the bench press and squat. The cable pulldown exercise, also ...
Straight arm pulldowns add size, strength and power to the back muscles. Athletes in competitive sports like basketball, football and hockey can perform this exercise to develop upper body power for grappling with opponents. Pa...
The lat pull down is a staple of many strength training workout programs. It is a compound exercise that requires the use of a cable machine with a lat pull down bar attachment. The lat pull down works the major muscles in the ...
The lat pulldown is often performed on a lat pulldown machine and is one of the best ways to strengthen and define your latissimus dorsi muscle, or the lats. Bodybuilders are often concerned with this exercise, since it results...
The American Council on Exercise recommends stretching for many reasons, including improving your posture, reducing your chance for injuries from pulling tight muscles, promoting circulation and reducing soreness from strength ...
TV analyst and retired NBA center Bill Walton recalls arriving at UCLA in 1970, eager to learn about basketball greatness from legendary coach John Wooden. He remembers the first day of practice, when Wooden motioned for the ro...
Lat pulldowns are muscle-building exercises that help to strengthen a number of major muscle groups in the shoulders, arms and back. This exercise must be performed with control to be effective and target stabilizer muscles in ...
Using a pulling motion is a common way to exercise the muscles of your middle and upper back. Whether it is some form of rowing, pulling up or pulling down, gyms and health clubs usually have multiple machines that offer a pull...
The lat pull-down is effective for building overall upper body strength. This exercise is performed on a machine found at many gym and health clubs and mimics the motion of a pull-up in a seated position. It's important to perf...
Prior to the introduction of clip-less pedals in the 1970s, cyclists applied their power by pushing downward on the downward pedal. The foot on the upward pedal was only along for the ride; not supplying power at all. The clip-...
Pain is unpleasant --- and a groin pull is particularly so, because you can feel it with every step. A groin strain encompasses a partial tear of the small fibers of the adductor muscles, Aurora Health Care explains on its webs...
The Gamo Maxima air rifle is a precision rifle with blued metal and beech wood stock. This is a high-precision rifle intended for serious shooters. While the rifle is still available through individual gun dealers and online au...
A lat pulldown machine consists of a long bar suspended by a cord that is attached to a stack of weights, and a chair positioned directly under the bar. Sit upright on the chair and extend your arms overhead to grasp the bar wi...
As their name suggests, lat pulldowns strengthen the lats, more formally known as the latissimus dorsi muscles, which are located on either side of the spine on your middle and upper back. They attach to the spine on the bottom...
However, your upper back muscles have little stimulation when performing this exercise. You can do standard lat pull-downs or standing lat pull-downs. Regardless of which method you choose, you will receive similar benefits of ...
Rain is a welcome event after a drought, or even after a hot afternoon. Rainwater seems natural, cleansing and replenishing. It is also a handy water supply in areas where rain is common. Stored rainwater allows users to contin...
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Braces are common these days, intended to straighten out your teeth and improve your bite. However, braces often cost a lot of money and can be seen as an unnecessary expense by some. But the benefits of braces go beyond just c...
The lat pull-down has been a staple exercise in workout routines for years. Building the muscles in the back can improve posture and overall health. There are many variations to the lat pull-down that fit into anyone's routine ...
Work your mid and upper back consistently to relieve tension. Straight arm pull downs are effective for isolating the lateral muscles in the back. Poor working and driving posture abuse the mid and upper back. The stronger you...