Guide · Cable bars
Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found
What a 2014 study found about narrow, medium and wide lat pulldown grips, what EMG can and cannot tell you, and which attachments give each grip.
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Picks that fit
- Titan Fitness Multi-Grip Cable Machine AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
- Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
- Synergee Pro-Style Lat Bar Cable Attachment (Straight 24")Check price on Amazon
Short answer
One 2014 study found overall lat muscle activity was similar at narrow, medium and wide pronated grips, while the narrow and medium grips allowed slightly heavier loads. No grip width is shown to be better for growth. Choose the attachment by the grip you want to use, then check it fits your machine.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Titan Fitness Multi-Grip Cable Machine AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
- Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
- Synergee Pro-Style Lat Bar Cable Attachment (Straight 24")Check price on Amazon
The 2014 grip-width study
Design: a 2014 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study had fifteen men perform lat pulldowns with a pronated (overhand) grip at 1, 1.5 and 2 times shoulder width, measuring six-repetition-maximum (6RM) loads and muscle EMG.[1]
Results:
- The narrow and medium grips allowed slightly heavier 6RM loads than the wide grip.[1]
- Across the whole movement, latissimus dorsi EMG was similar for all three grip widths.[1]
Limits: it was one session with fifteen men, and the abstract does not state their age or training status. It tested only an overhand grip, so it says nothing about neutral or underhand grips. The load differences were small. It measured activity on the day, not changes over weeks.
What EMG can and cannot tell you
A 2018 review in Frontiers in Physiology concluded that surface EMG amplitude measures muscle excitation, not force, and has not been validated as a predictor of long-term strength or muscle growth.[2] So "similar lat EMG" means similar activity during the lift. It does not mean similar or different growth, and no study in our sources measured that for grip width.
Attachments by grip
The grip you want decides the attachment.
- Wide or medium overhand: a long straight or angled lat bar. Grip spacing is set by where you hold it.
- Neutral (palms facing): a neutral-grip lat bar. REP's Pro Series Neutral Grip Lat Bar lists 28 mm handles set 29 inches apart, and the bar comes without a carabiner.[3]
- Close grip: a close-grip handle or a double D handle. MAG lists close and medium grips, each in neutral, pronate and supinate versions, plus a wide grip.[4] MAG publishes no materials, ratings or connection details.
- Several widths on one attachment: a multi-grip bar, or a bar with holes for clip-on handles.
| Grip you want | Attachment type | Width set by |
|---|---|---|
| Wide overhand | Long lat bar | Where you hold the bar |
| Neutral, shoulder width | Neutral-grip lat bar | Fixed handle spacing |
| Close neutral | Double D or close-grip handle | Fixed by the handle |
| Several | Multi-grip bar or bar with handle holes | Which grips or holes you use |
Picks that fit4 products
Several widths: Titan's Multi-Grip attachment is one size; Bells of Steel's D-Handle Bar needs a pair of handles bought separately.
More on choosing
Overhand wide: Synergee lat bar, choose the 34 or 38 in variant if your machine has the room, else 24 in. Close neutral: Synergee 'c) Double D Handle'. Lengths are the seller's sizing. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Multi-grip bar with listed grip intervals
Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable Attachment
Lat bar in three lengths, with a center swivel
Double D row handle with a listed grip diameter
How to choose
Pick the grip that feels comfortable through the whole pull and that you will use consistently. If you want to change widths often, one adjustable attachment can be simpler than several bars. Then check the overall length against your machine, as explained in lat bar length vs grip spacing.
Next
Questions
Is a wide-grip lat pulldown better?
Not in the one study we found. In a 2014 study of 15 men, overall lat EMG was similar at 1, 1.5 and 2 times shoulder width, and the narrow and medium grips allowed slightly heavier 6-rep loads than the wide grip.[1]
Does a neutral grip work the lats differently?
The 2014 study used a pronated grip only, so it does not answer that. We found no study in our sources comparing neutral and pronated grips on the lat pulldown.[1]
Which attachment gives a close grip?
A close-grip handle or a double D handle. MAG, for example, lists close-grip models in neutral, pronate and supinate versions. A multi-grip bar or a bar with handle holes lets you set several widths on one attachment.[4]
Does EMG show which grip builds more muscle?
No. A 2018 review concluded that surface EMG measures excitation, not force, and has not been validated as a predictor of long-term strength or muscle growth.[2]