Reverse Grip Pulldowns

Reverse grip pulldowns -- exercise to strengthen the upper back, lats and particularly the biceps

Reverse grip pulldowns are a complement to regular pulldowns. They work the arms, upper back and lats along the side of the chest.

They are good for strengthening the grip and adding form to the forearm muscles. They have the added benefit of emphasizing the biceps muscles at the front of the upper arms.

Start with the arms extended

Reverse grip pulldowns -- starting position

Your palms should be facing toward you. This will give more emphasis to the biceps as you contract your muscles.

You can sit straight up as you exercise. This with involve the lats more. Or you can lean back to bring the back muscles more into play.

Bring the bar to your chest

Reverse grip pulldowns -- second position

Contract the lats and the biceps to bring the bar to your chest.

This is a compound exercise. Compound exercises involve multiple muscles and multiple joints.

In this case you have movement across the elbows and shoulders. So you are exercising the body from the upper arms to the back.

Concentration training

You can vary the effect of this exercise -- and every exercise -- depending on which area you concentrate on. You can concentrate on the lats as you exercise, or you can concentrate on the biceps.

As you do this you will feel the contraction in the area you on concentrating on. And you will be able to build up that area.

This concentration on the area you want to emphasize is an important principle in weight training. If you use it you will dramatically improve your results.

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