It’s time to rethink everything you thought you knew about the Lat Pulldown Machine.

When choosing equipment for your home gym, it can be hard to justify machines that take up a lot of space, especially if you can only perform one exercise. But, it turns out the lat pulldown is a multi-purpose machine that can be used for a variety of exercises.

Gareth Sapstead, AKA The Fitness Maverick, showed us 10 of his favourite exercises to perform using the Mirafit Lat Pulldown and Seated Row Machine. They’re creative, but all incredibly useful for a variety of training goals.

1 - Straight Arm Pulldowns

If you want to target the lats and lats alone then you need to include this exercise into your training. For this exercise, you need to use a lat pulldown bar cable attachment. Standing to face the bar, hinge slightly at the hips so you’re leaning forwards and grip onto the bar with straight arms. Engage your lats and pull the bar down towards your thighs. Control the movement back to the top, keeping your arms straight the whole time.

2 - Tricep Pushdowns (Various Grips)

Pushdowns target the triceps muscles and can be performed using a lat pulldown bar. If you suffer from wrist problems, you should consider using a tricep rope as it places less strain on the wrist. In the same forward lean stance as the pulldown, hold onto the bar or rope, keep your elbows tucked close to your body and place your arms in a right angle. Push the bar/rope down towards your thighs and squeeze your triceps at the bottom of the movement.

3 - Lat Stretchers

Using a Row Cable Attachment on the Lat Pulldown Machine, hold onto it with both hands and place one foot on the bench for stability. In this position your lats should be stretched, if not, step back to lengthen. Next, pull the attachment down towards your chest in a rowing motion.

4 - Standing Ab Crunches

Turn to face away from the machine and hold the tricep rope cable attachment on the Lat Pulldown Machine by the sides of your head. Keep your chin tucked into your chest and lower your head down towards your stomach whilst pulling the cable behind. Your spine should be rounded throughout the movement.

5 - Cable Facing Seated Ab Crunches

Start seated on a bench facing the cables and connect a tricep rope attachment to the Lat Pulldown Machine. Hold onto the ropes, tuck your chin into your chest and pull the ropes down whilst bringing your head towards your hips.

6 - One Arm Pulldowns

Single-sided movements are a great way to reduce any muscular imbalance and work on joint stability. You will need a stirrup handle to perform this exercise. Sit down and hold onto the handle attachment in one hand with your arm in an extended position overhead. Engage your lat muscles and pull the handle down towards your shoulder.

7 - Hercules Curls

To perform a Hercules curl, you will need to use a stirrup handle. Sit on the bench sideways and grip the handle with one hand by the side of your body. Curl the weight down just behind your head and squeeze your bicep.

8 - Lying Bicep Curls

Lie down on the floor and secure your feet on the seated row platform. Pull the Straight bar between your legs and hold with an underhand grip. Keeping your elbows tucked into your body, curl the bar towards your chest.

9 - Plank Rows

For this exercise, use the Stirrup Handle. Begin in an elbow plank position and hold onto the handle with one arm extended. Pull the cable towards your body whilst in a rowing motion. To avoid your body weight shifting to the side, keep your core braced.

10 - Lying Pullovers

Start lying down on the floor with the lat pulldown bar attached to the seated row. Grip onto the bar overhead, brace your core and with straight arms, pull the bar overhead towards your legs. If your back arches when performing the exercise, place your feet on the ground with your knees up.

If you want to upgrade your training and your home gym then adding a Lat Pulldown and Seated Row Machine is the way to go. This multi-functional piece of kit will add a whole new level to your upper body and core workouts without the need for different weights and equipment.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Equipment > Lat Pulldowns ; Exercise Type > Strength