title: Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down.
abstract: The lat pull-down is one of the most popular compound back exercises. Still, it is a general belief that a wider grip activates the latissimus dorsi more than a narrow one, but without any broad scientific support. The aim of the study was to compare 6 repetition maximum (6RM) load and electromyographic (EMG) activity in the lat pull-down using 3 different pronated grip widths. Fifteen men performed 6RM in the lat pull-down with narrow, medium, and wide grips (1, 1.5, and 2 times the biacromial distance) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. The 6RM strengths with narrow (80.3 ± 7.2 kg) and medium grip (80 ± 7.1 kg) were higher than wide grip (77.3 ± 6.3 kg; p = 0.02). There was similar EMG activation between grip widths for latissimus, trapezius, or infraspinatus, but a tendency for biceps brachii activation to be greater for medium vs. narrow (p = 0.09), when the entire movement was analyzed. Analyzing the concentric phase separately revealed greater biceps brachii activation using the medium vs. narrow grip (p = 0.03). In the eccentric phase, there was greater activation using wide vs. narrow grip for latissimus and infraspinatus (p ≤ 0.04), and tendencies for medium greater than narrow for latissimus, and medium greater than wide for biceps (both p = 0.08), was observed. Collectively, a medium grip may have some minor advantages over small and wide grips; however, athletes and others engaged in resistance training can generally expect similar muscle activation which in turn should result in similar hypertrophy gains with a grip width that is 1-2 times the biacromial distance.
authors.affiliation: 1Faculty of Teacher Education and Sport, Sogn og Fjordane University College, Sogndal, Norway; 2Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; and 3Hysnes Rehabilitation Center, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Vidar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Marius S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fimland
authors.forename: Espen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wiik
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skoglund
authors.forename: Atle H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Saeterbakken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001132:Arm; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D064171:Superficial Back Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult