Pulldowns w/ reverse grip, a better way to perform the movement!!!!!!!

[punch]

In the past year I have changed the grip on my pulldown routine to a reverse grip. Why, with a reverse grip you can pull the wieght back further. In essence the goal is to pull the elbows back as far as possible to stress the back. The more popular version is palms facing away and to the front. The problem with this method is your ROM is limited due to the bar hitting your chest before the lats are fully contracted.

It is a simple adjustment, yet can make a profound difference.

Lastly, an added benefit is the ability to handle more weight as the reverse grip is stronger than palms forward. Hope this helps. Peace.

 

[socal girl]

i don't believe that anything of what you just said is necessarily true.

1. if you can't get a full contraction with an overhand grip pullup/pulldown, the weight is probably too heavy.

2. reverse grip is not necessarily stronger than an overhand grip. this depends on the individual and the individual's training. (most people i know will be stronger with an overhand grip.)


with that said, it is always good to switch things up to prevent stagnation, and switching grips on pullups/pulldowns can be benificial. reverse grip will also recruit your biceps brachii to a greater degree, though i find they still get worked real well with overhand grips.

 

[punch]

Reverse grip is too back what dumbells are to chest. Dumbells provide a much greater ROM than barbell. Where the bar hits your chest in the case of Bbel presses is similar to the way the bar hits your chest with pulldowns using palms forward. By utilizing a reverse grip you are forced to bring the bar a tad bit lower which brings the elbows back further which forces a better contraction in the back. Remember the KEY to back movements is the contraction, secondly the stretch.

It goes without saying that too much weight will not allow proper form.

Lastly, bicep recruitment WILL play a role in ALL back movements too a degree. More experienced lifters know how to minimize this. It takes work and time. All told, both palms forward and reverse are excellent movements in and of themselves. However, w/me, if one excersize exhibits an added benefit over another, I will always choose the one which provides and edge. Hope this helps.

 

[Boulder257]

When doing back I usually fo lat pulldown, but I two sets, three different ways. Two sets behind the back, two sets with front grip to the chest, and two sets with reverse grip. This way I hit the muscle several times from different angles with different technique. I have found it is rather effective.

 

[socal girl]

reverse grip is not to back as dbs are to chest. if that was the case, then what would dbs for rows be? k, check this out. now you are saying that dbs provide a greater rom than a barbell. i'll take that. however rom has nothing to do with fully contracting a muscle.

also, i fail to see how reverse grip forces you to bring the bar lower on your chest. i can bring the bar as low on my chest as my strength will allow. if you are strong enough, you can bring the bar down to your sternum on a pullup with either a reverse or overhand grip (most people are not strong enough for this movement with either grip).

if you are able to bring the bar significantly lower on your chest with a reverse grip, that tells you that you are sufficiently strong on that grip as compared to an overhand grip.

with either grip, you are potentially able to bring the bar to the same spot on your chest, but neither will go past that spot (you can't pull the bar through your body!), so neither will have a greater range of motion.

that said, overhand vs reverse grip is mostly preference. it's obvious you prefer a reverse grip, but don't let that lead you to believe in wrong concepts. if your goal is to perform sternum pullups/chins, only then is there any real need to focus on pulling the bar to a lower spot on the chest, otherwise bringing the bar to the upper chest in the same spot every time is fine.

 

[Buddy_Christ]

i prefer overhand grip for the simple fact that it is harder. do some pullups overhand and underhand....doing them underhand is easier. i don't see anything wrong with doing them both ways though, but just myself personally, i'd do overhand pulldowns before underhand pulldowns.

while we're on the subject of pulldowns...anyone ever do them with a close grip? i feel that in my bis and lats big time. worked great for me, because i used to do back and arms on the same day. i found it to be a great way to nail both muscles at the same time.

 

[punch]

close grip is very good, insane stretch at the top. It is all a matter of preference. However, I defy ANYONE to tell me that you do NOT get a better contraction with a reverse grip. Do this experiment. Do both reverse grip and overhand grip. Try pulling your elbows back on both as far as possible. You will find that it is physically impossible to pull the elbows back further w/ overhand than under. Its simple physiology.



Crak, the close grip version is one of my favorites. I will on occasion add these to my routine.

 

[big4life]

The reverse grip on pulldowns is easier on your shoulders. My physical therapist had me go to them last year after my first shoulder surgery.(the second surgery was this October) As for rom I didn't notice an improvement, but I had also lost a lot of rom from my surgery.

As for close grip pulldowns, they are a part of my regular back workout, along with hammer strength lat pulldowns, db rows, and seated cable rows. I still can't do deads during my shoulder rehab.

 

[hardrock]

I also do curl grip pulldowns. Then I follow with pull ups with palms facing away.My back day routine:

close Curl grip pulldowns
palms away pull ups
curl grip BB rows
close grip cable rows
rear delt flys
dead lifts
db shrug

all excercises consist of 2 working sets, with the exception of db shrugs, in which case I do 3-4

been doing it for almost 2 moths now and I love it. Stronger every week pretty much. Can's wait to see what it brings me during this cycle.

 

[Tweakle]

I'm a lot stronger with a curl grip. I can barely do one chin overhand but can knock off reps with 45lbs+ curl stylee