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Hammer Grip Lat Pull Down

This pull-down uses a neutral, palms-facing hammer grip — usually on a V-handle or parallel-grip bar — which lets the elbows track close to the ribs. Many lifters feel their lats most clearly here, and the wrist position is the friendliest in the pull-down family. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Lats · latissimus dorsi Biceps · biceps brachii Mid back · rhomboids Lower traps · lower trapezius

Sets & reps by goal

Goal	Sets × Reps	Rest
Strength	4 sets × 4-6 reps	2-3 min
Muscle	3-4 sets × 9-12 reps	60-90 sec
Endurance	2-3 sets × 18-27 reps	30-45 sec

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Beginner

Beginner — usually the most comfortable pull-down grip and a sound first choice for learning the pattern.

Proper form — 5 cues

Grip the parallel handles with the wrists in line with the forearms, palms facing each other.
Set a slight backward lean and lift the chest toward the cable's path.
Drive the elbows down toward the hips, brushing past the ribs.
Pull the handle to the upper chest and hold the squeeze for one second.
Control the return until the arms straighten and the shoulders rise into a stretch.

Breathing: Exhale as the handle pulls to the chest, inhale on the controlled rise.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Turning the lean-back into a row. Reclining further with each rep changes the pulling angle and shifts the work off the lats onto momentum and the mid-back. Fix: Set the torso angle once at the start and keep it constant for the whole set.

Stopping the pull at the chin. The last hand-span of the pull is where the lats and lower traps finish the rep; cutting it wastes the squeeze. Fix: Touch the handle to the upper chest — or accept the load is too heavy.

Letting the shoulders slam upward on the release. An uncontrolled top lets the stack yank the shoulder into a shrug under load. Fix: Ride the handle up on a two-count and let the shoulders rise deliberately, not violently.

Common questions

Neutral grip vs wide grip pull-down — which is better?

Grip-comparison research keeps showing the lats work similarly across hand positions, so the honest answer is: the one you can pull hardest with full range and no wrist or elbow complaints. For many people that is the neutral grip, because the elbows travel a natural path and the forearms stay strong throughout.

Does the hammer grip make it more of a biceps exercise?

The neutral position does let the brachioradialis and brachialis contribute strongly, which is partly why the pull feels powerful. The lats still do the heavy lifting if the elbows lead the movement. If your arms burn out first, slow the rep, think of pulling with the elbows, and lighten the stack a notch.

How does this compare to neutral-grip pull-ups?

The same pulling pattern with different progression tools. Pull-ups fix the load at bodyweight and demand full-body tension; the pull-down lets you dose the load precisely on either side of bodyweight. Trainees chasing a first pull-up often build volume here at progressively heavier stack settings while practising bar hangs separately.

Related exercises

Cable Machine RowingLats · Mid back Cable Single Hand Lat Pull DownLats Close Grip Lat Pull DownLats Close Grip Lat Pull Down (Variation 2)Lats Diagonal Grip Lat Pull DownLats

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