I do a lot of pull-ups with the occasional switch up to lat pull-downs and as everyone knows with pull-ups not everyone has an easy time with them or cannot do very many. They seem to be very hard to progress in also. I'd say in the last 4 years I've doubled my number of reps I could do over when I first started for 3 sets. Wether that's good progression or not I'm not sure but it feels like it especially since I have not always used good form or ROM. Lat pull-downs have always seemed to me not so easy to progress in and I can only do around 135lbs for 12 reps. My nutrition isn't spot on but I am happy with it and I get 7-8 hours of rest. I can usually progress 2 1/2-5lbs in my upper body and 5-10 in my lower almost every week. I started out with 135 my first week and felt like i could add 5 lbs in my 2nd but come my 3rd week I started to rock throwing off my form for the last few reps adding a bad rep each set. This seems to always happen for me. So today I dropped it to 125lbs, 15 less in hopes to keep my form and not rock but it got me my 3rd set for my last 4 reps. Any thoughts or are the lats just a hard target area to progress in? I remember being at this point probably about 2 years ago. I don't do pull downs often and I don't feel I have bad lats but I do want to improve on them. I used to do them mainly once a week but recently have been hitting them twice a week. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

it could be a just a tough exercise for you. However, make Weighted Pull ups or pendlay rows your primary back exercises. Do lat pulldowns at the end.

And always practice full range of motion on ALL exercises. Thats how you get stronger

Aaron,

I prefer pull-ups, dumbell rows, Pendelay rows, lying T-bar rows, standing T-bar rows, low cable rows, and deadlifts for back. As you can see, an awful lot of rowing :-) Progression can either be increasing the number of reps or adding weight. Once you can do 12 pull ups with full ROM, it is time to add weight. Until you can do that, adding weight is pointless in my opinion. Lat pull downs and any type of cable pull-down exercises are fine but for me I find they are easier to "cheat" with - rocking in your case - because you have the ability to use your entire upper torso as momentum. It is harder to use upper torso momentum when you are lying on something or bent over and either lying on a bench or supporting yourself on a bench (DB rows) or with your core and back (Pendalay rows). I am not saying you can't cheat with momentum with these exercises but it is harder. Don't get me wrong, Lat pull downs are effective and many people have built big backs doing them but I prefer to use them as a finisher or alternate back exercise (like Rishi said) and not something I do consistently.

John

Good advice above :-)

For me I have found the best development with my lats since I started working on my pull ups, I do them first and use 5x5 strength training technique. I have been able to start adding weight of the last few weeks and seen real progress.

Talking more specifically about lat pull downs, don't worry too much abou the weight and focus more on getting a good stretch at the top without taking tension off the muscle and pulling with your elbows to take your biceps out of the equation!

This is just what works best for me,

Thanks guys! Think I may just go back to my pull-ups. I always do rows but maybe I'll just add the Lat Pull-Downs to the end of my routine and see if that helps me.