Hand orientation (supinated, neutral, pronated) and grip width are commonly varied during pull-ups and lat pull-downs in an attempt to focus the training on specific muscle groups or to ensure that the movement is specific to the sporting action. The aim of this article was to identify if varying grip width and hand orientation effects muscle activity during pull-ups and lat pull-downs. It has been demonstrated that using rotating handles during pull-ups or using a pronated grip during lat pull-downs tends to result in the greatest activation of the latissimus dorsi, with no difference in latissimus dorsi activity between grip widths.
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