Palms in and Palms facing out pull-downs

[BEEF]

Morning everyone,

Just wondering really, what's the difference between doing pull-downs with your palms facing away from you or doing pull-downs with your palms facing towards you? I may be asking some strange questions like this more often for a little while I'm trying my best to advance my knowledge as far as I possibly can.

The same question goes for barbell rows too!

Cheers

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[p.s.]

With palms out you can use a wider grip on pulldowns/ups, and with palms facing it will allow for a closer grip, but remember that the biceps are more greatly involved/stimulated so concentration is an even bigger concern with palms facing. Now as you know with a wider grip on pull ups/downs you tend to stimulate the lats higher than with a closer grip (more towards the base of the lats). I would suggest that you incorporate both styles of pull downs/ups to fully work/stimulate all aspects of your lats.

[wolverine]

I like using the palms facing-close grip to end a back workout. It usually leaves my back extra crispy. Concentrating on using only back is definitely the key though. Real easy to get the biceps doing too much of the work.

[queenofthedamned]

palm's facing in (pulldowns) are going to stimulate your biceps more than lats. your lats (your entire back for that matter) is a hard body part to hit as you can't "see" it while training. when just starting out i would choose exercises that isolate lats as much as possible. wide grip pulldowns with palms facing out are best (IMO) when you run out of gas, rotate your lats until failure. this movement completely isolates your lats and takes the bicep right out of the movement (your bicep gets hit on most back movements, as tricep gets hit on most chest)

bentover rows should be done ALWAYS with palms facing in. palms facing out can result in a nice bicep tear, i have seen it happen. some advanced lifters (p.s.) do some row work with palms reversed. i disagree with this myself, but also realize that when doing this movement, he uses light weight and is experienced enough to execute the movement safely. i dont do them this way ever, too much bicep involved, rows are for back.

go to a used bookstore in person or online and look for a book by "bill pearl" called "keys to the inner universe"...it's an oldy, but a goody....every damn exercise you could possibly think of is in the pages of that sucka....

[Jack Tragic]

I agree w/all the previous post on this. Try this (it will answer your question) work the entire bar (from out to in) with palms forward, and then the same with palms in...THEN my friend there will be no doubt.   

[BEEF]

Excellent, thanks for all the replies guys and gals.

qotd, I was a little unsure of what you meant in the part where you said, "when you run out of gas, rotate your lats until failure". What did you mean here? I'm confused as with the wide grip pull downs I'll be using both at once :S I've probably read your post and taken this sentence to literally.

Thanks again

EDIT: I think I may have got what you mean, I just checked another post and found this:

Rotations ie scapular rotations are done at the end of the pullups when your biceps are fatigued. While still holding the bar (over hand grip) try and pull your chest up to the bar with arms completely straight/locked out. It will take some practice but once you've got the technique down you'll actually be able to fully contract/isolate your lats without using your arms. A similar version can be done on lat pulldowns using a reverse shrug ie a pulldown without using the arms.

Is that what you meant?

[p.s.]

Excellent, thanks for all the replies guys and gals.

qotd, I was a little unsure of what you meant in the part where you said, "when you run out of gas, rotate your lats until failure". What did you mean here? I'm confused as with the wide grip pull downs I'll be using both at once :S I've probably read your post and taken this sentence to literally.

Thanks again

EDIT: I think I may have got what you mean, I just checked another post and found this:

Rotations ie scapular rotations are done at the end of the pullups when your biceps are fatigued. While still holding the bar (over hand grip) try and pull your chest up to the bar with arms completely straight/locked out. It will take some practice but once you've got the technique down you'll actually be able to fully contract/isolate your lats without using your arms. A similar version can be done on lat pulldowns using a reverse shrug ie a pulldown without using the arms.

Is that what you meant?

Yes you have figured out exactly what QOD meant in her answer. IMO scapular rotations are better performed after pullups/chins and reverse shrugs work better on pulldowns.

[Jack Tragic]

Try this for a change as well when you hit a plateau bro...seated cable/ or bent-over rows with a reverse or palms up/forward grip! These are basically an advanced movement, but try them anyway just to feel the difference as you "zero-in" on a mucle groups various tangents. Of corse, these are NOT strength movements, so you will have to lift a little lighter while trying them out...but you will understand why when you start to feel the burn......! I like doing these because they not only hit your latts, but also give you a very nice bicep and medial/front delt workout!  Good luck! 

[BEEF]

Thanks again for the advice, posting here and recieving useful and friendly advice is a god send, too many people look down their noses at 'beginners' but here any question is welcome, and I appreciate all the help I've had so far

[p.s.]

Thanks again for the advice, posting here and recieving useful and friendly advice is a god send, too many people look down their noses at 'beginners' but here any question is welcome, and I appreciate all the help I've had so far

And this is what makes Hardcore such a great board for anyone from beginner to advanced.....We're more like a close-knit family than most boards.

[RJSMuscle]

I usually do both palms in and out

[jugg]

bentover rows should be done ALWAYS with palms facing in. palms facing out can result in a nice bicep tear, i have seen it happen. some advanced lifters (p.s.) do some row work with palms reversed. i disagree with this myself, but also realize that when doing this movement, he uses light weight and is experienced enough to execute the movement safely. i dont do them this way ever, too much bicep involved, rows are for back.

go to a used bookstore in person or online and look for a book by "bill pearl" called "keys to the inner universe"...it's an oldy, but a goody....every damn exercise you could possibly think of is in the pages of that sucka....

i find that doing rows i'll always do them palms in - dorian yates style. i find that i'll always hit em gd this way. (my god i'v gone against queenie...what will happen to me?  )

as for that book - its GOOOOOOOOOD. go buy! i know Beef is a poor student but its worth a gd read mate.

[p.s.]

i find that doing rows i'll always do them palms in - dorian yates style. i find that i'll always hit em gd this way. (my god i'v gone against queenie...what will happen to me?  )

as for that book - its GOOOOOOOOOD. go buy! i know Beef is a poor student but its worth a gd read mate.

Just remember Jugg that reverse grip rows is how Dorian tore his bicep. I suggest that you keep the exercise but use it as a light secondary row after heavy conventional grip rowing.

[jugg]

Just remember Jugg that reverse grip rows is how Dorian tore his bicep. I suggest that you keep the exercise but use it as a light secondary row after heavy conventional grip rowing.

oh yeah, i never go above 220 on the row and never below 8reps.

[p.s.]

oh yeah, i never go above 220 on the row and never below 8reps.

And make sure the rows are always very STRICT!! No bouncing or cheating the reps!