Thread: lat pulldowns or chin ups?

Pull ups. Add weight when you get good enough. I use a wide grip if I'm working lats, though some will tell you close because a wide grip shortens the range of motion. Palms facing away from you.

do wide grip pullups, and also take a small straight bar, and attach it to the lat pulldown machine and grab it so your palms are facing in and do lat pulldowns with that as well. Squeeze in the back and the lats and your lats will be sore the next day fo sho.

pullups for those who can do them. I can't to heavy still. Well i can now get one overhand and a hand full of underhands

you need to do both pull ups and chin ups for maximus latissimus.

Both.

both?....well i already do deads, lat pulls, rows and shrugs.......i need mega mass on my back....damn shoulder blades.....

Originally Posted by cheesegrater

for building size.......

and for either....does it matter, wide grip, close grip......palms facing away/ towards?

I never do wide grip...less ROM and harder on the shoulder joint. Med grip pull downs or pull ups if you are strong enough to use good form. But Rows are the king. For grip do whats comfortable.

You'll mostly gain more on an exercise that you really feel and really like to do. Do whatever you like the most. However, throwing some variations sometimes can help (close,wide, palm facing away, facing you etc.)

You said :

both?....well i already do deads, lat pulls, rows and shrugs.......i need mega mass on my back....damn shoulder blades.....


If you already do lat pulls, then dont add pullups to this, replace it for lat pulls, and find the exercise that you'll make progress on. Then you start start to plateau, like I said throw in a variation of the exercise.

One trick on pullups/downs that works wonders...

Keep your lower back as arched/flexed as POSSIBLE during the entire movement. This takes burden off your abs on both the positive and negative part of the movement and puts it all on your lats.

Guarenteed to make your lats bleed.

Originally Posted by cheesegrater

both?....well i already do deads, lat pulls, rows and shrugs.......i need mega mass on my back....damn shoulder blades.....

Alternate

when not using my chain belt and doing weighted pullups/chins, i use a 50 rep pull up scheme. usually takes me about 5 sets to get them all, and i change my grip through the routine, going from the hardest grip (wider pulls) to the easiest (shoulder width chins). i usually do 1st set: shoulder width pull up, 2nd set: wider grip pull up, 3rd set: palms facing (hook a row handle over something), 4th and 5th (and 6th if needed) set: chins, shoulder width.

curse

pulldowns. You can gradually increase the weight and force some reps. Bit safer than hanging weight off ur body. Also its much easier to adjust the weight.

wide grip/close grip both work well.

I mostly do pull-downs because I can control the weight, but once in awhile I do a couple sets of pull-ups.

Despite popular belief, a closer grip actually works your lats more than a wider grip.

the problem with a closer grip is it will incorporate more biceps, hence less lats.

I rarely ever do pull downs. I love to do pull ups though.

Originally Posted by Robert DiMaggio

I mostly do pull-downs because I can control the weight, but once in awhile I do a couple sets of pull-ups.

Exact some opinion here. Pulldowns are somethin I have had to mess with for weeks initially to get to where they even hit my lats. I think it's a weird thing form-wise. I try to perform them as if I was doing a pullup... vertical posture at the start, lean back some as i pull it down, then situp and stetch my chin up as i reach the full contraction. Don't know if that made any sense.

I do both

The benefit of the Lat Pulldown Machine is the weight. The machine in my
gym goes to 300. You can't do that much weight with weighted Pullups.

The belt will break under that stress.

The benefit of Pullups is the stabilization, in which no machine can offer.

So both are good in their own right. Thats why I do both

Originally Posted by OMNIFEX

I do both

The benefit of the Lat Pulldown Machine is the weight. The machine in my
gym goes to 300. You can't do that much weight with weighted Pullups.

The belt will break under that stress.

The benefit of Pullups is the stabilization, in which no machine can offer.

So both are good in their own right. Thats why I do both

with weighted pull ups i go up to 2 plates (90 pounds) and i weigh over 200. with weighted dips i get up to 3 plates (135 pounds) hanging off my belt. i think it can take a few more plates too, im just not that strong. where you been buying your chain belts at?

Originally Posted by TheCurse

with weighted pull ups i go up to 2 plates (90 pounds) and i weigh over 200. with weighted dips i get up to 3 plates (135 pounds) hanging off my belt. i think it can take a few more plates too, im just not that strong. where you been buying your chain belts at?

You need to watch out for clasp that holds the chain, and, belt together.
It will eventually, start to bend. I've broken a belt with 145 pounds
(One 100 pound plate, & one 45) I got warned if I broke the other one,
I'll have to pay

So I stick with two 45's, or one 100 pound plate and, hit the Lat Machine
if I want more weight.

I'm in search for a good belt myself. The ones I've seen in stores are all
vinyl The belt that I'm currently using in the gym, is leather.
Incidently, it was a vinyl belt that snapped at 145.

I'm trying to find a place that sells leather with no luck.

Both are compound exercises that work just about all the same muscles. However, pullups somehow feel as though they are more demanding to me. It has been ages since I have done a pulldown at this point.

I use a wide grip, but I try not to go too wide. I have read that going too wide puts undue stress on one's AC joint.

Originally Posted by OMNIFEX

You need to watch out for clasp that holds the chain, and, belt together.
It will eventually, start to bend. I've broken a belt with 145 pounds
(One 100 pound plate, & one 45) I got warned if I broke the other one,
I'll have to pay

So I stick with two 45's, or one 100 pound plate and, hit the Lat Machine
if I want more weight.

I'm in search for a good belt myself. The ones I've seen in stores are all
vinyl The belt that I'm currently using in the gym, is leather.
Incidently, it was a vinyl belt that snapped at 145.

I'm trying to find a place that sells leather with no luck.

hey omnifex
yea i had trouble finding a leather chain belt too, but eventually found a specialty store that sells them. i also found some nice ones online but i forget where. guess ill have to throw 4-5 plates on mine and do a stress test .
good luck with your search

curse

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

I never do wide grip...less ROM and harder on the shoulder joint. Med grip pull downs or pull ups if you are strong enough to use good form. But Rows are the king. For grip do whats comfortable.

I'll agree with you Eric on rows. My back has made an big improvement since I started doing more rows. I do a min of 4 different rows on back day and that doesn't include deads or any pulldowns on the same day.

Originally Posted by TheCurse

hey omnifex
yea i had trouble finding a leather chain belt too, but eventually found a specialty store that sells them. i also found some nice ones online but i forget where. guess ill have to throw 4-5 plates on mine and do a stress test .
good luck with your search

curse

Thanks.

There's nothing worse than doing your set, and, worrying if the belt is
going to hold up.

I found this for anyone who's interested.