Lat Pulldowns: front or back?

There is an ongoing debate whether we should perform lat pulldowns in front of our heads or behind our heads. Personal trainers should always consider the safety and effectiveness of an exercise before they include it in a resistance training program. A study by Signorile et al (2002) compared muscle activity in the latissimus dorsi using different hand positions and techniques.  EMGs were connected to 10 subjects using 4 different hand positions: wide grip anterior, wide grip posterior, close grip, and supinated grip.

The study concluded that the wide grip anterior (front of the head) grip produced significantly greater muscle activity in the latissimus dorsi than any of the three other grips.  Furthermore, there was more activity in tricep, teres major, pec major, and posterior deltoid during pulldowns in front of their heads than behind their heads.  Also, most experts believe that anterior pulldowns are safer than posterior pulldowns concerning neck and shoulder joints.

 

Therefore, it is concluded that anterior pulldowns are not only safer, but this study has proven that anterior pulldowns are also more effective in recruiting latissimus dorsi and other muscles than lat pulldowns behind the head.

Leg Press Tips and Technique

The Leg Press is one of the most popular machines in the gym.  It is a single plane machine which means it really targets the glutes, quads, and hamstrings if used properly.  To use all three big muscle groups, your feet should be placed near the center of the plate.  If your feet are placed too high, you will recruit more glutes/hams than quads.  If you place your feet too low on the plate, then you will recruit more quads than glutes/hams.

Another important facet to the leg press is the lower back.  As with most exercises, it is very important to keep a neutral spine throughout the movement.  Some exercisers will lower the weight too fast causing their lumbar spine to curve.  Make a mental note to keep your low back on the pad.  A curved lumbar will produce a posterior pelvic tilt which may lead to low back pain or injury in the future.

So next time you're at the gym and the angled leg press machine is available, try experimenting with foot position.  High on the plate for glutes/hams, low for quads, and wide for adductors.  But regardless of your routine, make sure you maintain proper form to prevent injury.