Lat Pulldown vs Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row

Maximizing Your Back Workout Plan

Contents

Planfit users log Lat Pulldown more often — 81,834 sessions vs 455. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Customize Your Back Workout: Explore the Benefits of Lat Pulldown and Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row for Better Comparison.

Planfit Users' Choice about Lat Pulldown vs Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row : 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 455 for Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row.

Popularity is not the whole answer. Lat Pulldown and Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row 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 Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row Differ

What differsLat PulldownUnderhand Smith Machine Barbell Row
Machine typecable-drivenSmith-machine
Difficulty1 of 54 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users81,834 sessions455 sessions

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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 Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row gif

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row muscles worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Please pull towards your belly button so that the barbell can go up vertically.
  2. 2. While bringing your shoulder blades together, naturally pull your elbows and hands.
  3. 3. While holding the weight with your back strength, lower your hands down to below your knees.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to let your elbows flare out.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to overly straighten your back or move it up and down.
  3. 3. Engage your core to prevent your back from rounding.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row methods?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Back, Lat Pulldown or Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row?

Planfit users log Lat Pulldown more often — 81,834 sessions against 455 for Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row. 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 Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row need?

Lat Pulldown needs a machine, and Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row needs a machine.

Which is easier to start with?

Lat Pulldown is the easier place to start. Move to Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row once your form holds up.

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