Lat Pulldown vs Close Grip Pull Up

Maximizing Your Back Workout Plan

Contents

Planfit users log Lat Pulldown more often — 81,834 sessions vs 44. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Customize Your Back Workout: Explore the Benefits of Lat Pulldown and Close Grip Pull Up for Better Comparison.

Planfit Users' Choice about Lat Pulldown vs Close Grip Pull Up : Which is Better?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Lat Pulldown more often — 81,834 sessions compared to 44 for Close Grip Pull Up.

Popularity is not the whole answer. Lat Pulldown and Close Grip Pull Up differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Lat Pulldown and Close Grip Pull Up Differ

What differsLat PulldownClose Grip Pull Up
Equipmenta machinea pull-up bar
Difficulty1 of 52 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users81,834 sessions44 sessions

Related comparisons

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How to Lat Pulldown

Lat Pulldown gif

Lat Pulldown muscles worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Gather your shoulder blades and naturally pull your arms.
  2. 2. Lower your forearms vertically.
  3. 3. Pull until the bar touches your collarbone.
  4. 4. Slowly raise your arms and return to the starting position.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to strain your shoulders by fully extending your shoulders and arms.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to let your trapezius muscles rise.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Lat Pulldown, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Lat Pulldown Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Lat Pulldown methods?Exercise Guide

How to Close Grip Pull Up

Close Grip Pull Up gif

Close Grip Pull Up muscles worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Grab the bar with a narrow grip and spread your hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. 2. Pull your arms to bring your chest close to the bar.
  3. 3. Slowly extend your arms and return to the original position.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to lose your starting position when you come down.
  2. 2. Please rise using the strength of your shoulder blades, not your arms.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Close Grip Pull Up, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Close Grip Pull Up Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Close Grip Pull Up methods?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Back, Lat Pulldown or Close Grip Pull Up?

Planfit users log Lat Pulldown more often — 81,834 sessions against 44 for Close Grip Pull Up. Both train Back, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

What equipment do Lat Pulldown and Close Grip Pull Up need?

Lat Pulldown needs a machine, and Close Grip Pull Up needs a pull-up bar.

Which is easier to start with?

Lat Pulldown is the easier place to start. Move to Close Grip Pull Up once your form holds up.

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