Try this three-grip variation triset pulldown variation for full back muscle engagement and fatigue.
The lat pulldown is a highly effective exercise for building and strengthening the back muscles. Its versatility makes it a staple in many workout routines, as adjusting your grip can target different muscle groups and elevate your training (1).
The omni grip lat pulldown takes this concept even further by utilizing three grip variations during a triset to fatigue all back muscles fully. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to perform the omni grip lat pulldown, explore its key benefits, and share additional exercises to optimize back development.
Overview — What Is the Omni Grip Lat Pulldown?
The omni grip lat pulldown is a compound exercise that primarily targets the upper body, placing a special focus on the back and arms. Its intensity surpasses that of regular lat pulldowns, guaranteeing proper fatiguing that leads to phenomenal pumps and growth.
Omni grip lat pulldowns are a type of triset that uses three different grips to target the muscles differently with every changing grip, making your back and arm training more productive. Three grips you could use are:
- Wide Grip
- Medium Grip
- Reverse Grip (Underhand Grip)
Omni Grip Lat Pulldown — Muscles Worked
The omni grip lat pulldowns are intense and work the following upper body muscles.
Latissimus Dorsi
Omni grip lat pulldowns involve shoulder medial rotation, extension, and adduction through the various grips. These are movements that involve the lats. Doing omni grip lat pulldowns targets the lats through the repetition of these movements at different angles.
Rhomboids
The rhomboids are attached to the thoracic spine just between your shoulder blades. When performing omni grip lat pulldowns, the mid-traps work alongside the rhomboids to pull the shoulders down and back.
Trapezius
The trapezius, often referred to as the traps, covers most of the upper back. It’s diamond-shaped and helps elevate and pull your shoulders back and downward during this exercise.
Biceps
The biceps are located at the top of the arm and help to flex the elbows, stabilize the movement of the weight, and act as a synergist between the arms and the lats. However, it’s important to note that they’re not the primary muscles worked during this exercise.
Forearms
The forearm muscles are key to achieving good muscle activation during the omni grip lat pulldowns. The stronger your forearms and grip, the better your back, shoulder, and biceps pump. Consequently, your forearms grow and become stronger when you do omni grip pulldowns.
Deltoids
Another important muscle worked during this exercise is the deltoids. The delts are divided into three parts: anterior, posterior, and medial delts. However, the posterior is the most active during the omni grip lat pulldowns, while the two other muscles act as stabilizers.
How to Perform the Omni Grip Lat Pulldown
When setting up for this exercise, consider using weightlifting chalk to help reinforce your grip. Two or three sets of this triset exercise are enough for results. Pushing beyond that could lead to overtraining and injuries.
Additionally, omni grip lat pulldowns require that you perform them using all three grip styles, allowing you to adjust the weight accordingly to suit your preference. It’s also essential to start with your weakest grip, which will be more challenging, and then transition to your strongest grip and an easier pulldown. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to perform this exercise.
- Attach the wide lat bar to the machine and load the appropriate weights.
- Grab the bar using a wide overhand grip (if this is the hardest for you) and sit on the machine. Drive your feet to the floor for stability.
- Next, push your chest out, pull your shoulders back and down, and slightly lean back to begin the exercise.
- Take a deep breath and slowly bend your arms towards your upper chest, keeping your elbows fully extended.
- Slowly return the bar to the starting position.
- Repeat this movement for as many reps as you desire, then switch your grip to a medium grip and repeat the same movement.
- Finally, switch to an underhand grip and repeat this movement for as many reps as you desire.
Benefits
Great Back Builder
The omni grip lat pulldown is the ultimate back-building exercise. It works your back muscles with added intensity. Using different grips hits them differently, leaving no muscle fiber untouched.
Effective Upper Building Exercise
Omni grip lat pulldowns also work your biceps, forearms, and shoulders. This gives you an overall upper body experience. A strong upper body enhances your posture and increases your ability to lift heavier weights.
Improves Grip Strength
Grip strength matters when lifting, as the stronger your grip, the more effective your exercises will be. You can also lift heavier and longer, resulting in better strength and muscle gains in other exercises that require a strong grip. Doing this exercise emphasizes your forearms and biceps muscles, which are key to strengthening your grip.
More Training Intensity
Training intensity is a crucial factor for achieving better muscle growth and strength gains. The nature of the omni grip lat pulldown is that it uses three different grips to target your muscles differently. This provides an intensity that enhances your pump and promotes explosive growth in the area. It also brings a novelty that can break you out of a back training plateau due to training monotony.
Omni Grip Lat Pulldown Alternatives
The omni grip lat pulldown is great for your back, but the lat pulldown is not the only routine where you can apply this technique to get results. Below are two exercises where using an omni grip can switch things up, and a third effective back-building routine.
Omni Grip Chest Supported T-Bar Rows
Omni-grip chest-supported T-bar rows use the same approach as the omni grip lat pulldown. The purpose is to increase training intensity and work the muscles from a different angle. You can start with a wide grip, switch to a medium grip, and finally finish with an underhand grip. This exercise primarily targets the back and arms.
Omni Grip Pull-Ups
For the omni grip pull-ups, it is essential to have a pull-up bar with multiple grips. You can switch between grips and perform a triset to work your muscles in different ways. This exercise targets your back, shoulders, and arms to a certain degree.
Trap Bar Deadlifts
Deadlifts are effective for building muscle mass in your back. Switching to a trap bar deadlift can help vary your grip placements and elevate your deadlift training. This exercise works your back, arms, and core muscles. However, performing this also works your hamstrings, quads, calves, and glutes.
Omni Grip Lat Pulldown FAQs
What is the omni grip pulldown?
The omni grip lat pulldown is an intense exercise for building your back muscles. The keyword is intensity, as this routine utilizes three different grip placements, effectively making it a triset. This makes the routine highly effective for building back muscle.
What is the best grip for lat pulldowns?
This depends on your training style and personal preference. Using an underhand grip can lead to greater biceps activation, while choosing an overhand grip primarily focuses on the latissimus dorsi muscles.
How to do an omni grip lat pulldown?
Set up your machine by attaching a long lat bar at the top. Grab the bar and sit while slightly leaning back, and start with your weakest grip. Do your reps and then switch to a different grip before ending the triset with the grip you find most comfortable for your lat pulldown. For a more detailed explanation of why this is necessary, refer to the exercise guide above.
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Reference
- Andersen, V., Fimland, M. S., Wiik, E., Skoglund, A., & Saeterbakken, A. H. (2014). Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(4), 1135–1142. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSC.0000000000000232
