Back · Cable
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
How to do the close grip lat pulldown, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Vertical Pull
- Mechanic
- Compound
See it in motion
How to do it
Using a lat pulldown machine, grip the bar with hands closer than shoulder-width. Pull the bar down to your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- 1Feel your lower lats working as you pull the close-grip handle to your chest
- 2Keep your elbows tucked and shoulders down to maximize lat engagement
- 3Squeeze at the bottom and control the release
Common mistakes
- Avoid leaning back excessively or swinging
- Don't let your shoulders shrug up; keep them depressed
- Avoid pulling with your biceps alone; engage your back muscles
Muscles worked
The close grip lat pulldown mainly works the lats and biceps, with the forearms, lower traps, mid traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kovo programs the close grip lat pulldown for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the barbell good morning
- How to do the barbell bent over row
- How to do the barbell shrug
- How to do the cable straight arm pulldown
- How to do the chin-up
Last reviewed April 2026.