Lat Pulldown

Sit tall with your chest open and grip the handles, then secure your lower body under the thigh pads. Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and first create a long stretch through your lats overhead.

Drive your elbows down as you pull the handles toward the area below your collarbones. Think about your elbows moving down instead of pulling with your hands, and you will load your lats more effectively.

Briefly squeeze your back at the lowest point, then slowly straighten your arms and guide the handles back up. Control the return so your shoulders do not shoot up, and the next rep will start with the same feel.

Pull as if your lats are drawing your body down. If it feels like only your arms are working, lower the weight and focus on the path of your elbows.

Leaning your torso far back or pulling only with your arms shifts the work to your lower back and biceps instead of your back. If you rush the lowering phase, you lose part of the lat stretch, so give equal attention to the way back up.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you return upward. A steady breathing rhythm keeps your torso from swaying and makes the movement much more controlled.

How far you bring the handles down matters less than repeating the same movement with the same torso angle. First check whether you can pause for 1 second at the bottom and control the return for 2 seconds.