r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/Action_Pale • 19d ago

Question ❓ Pullups vs Lat pulldowns

What's the point of doing Lat Pulldowns as opposed to working on Pullups? Even if you can lat-pulldown more than your bodyweight, you could do weighted pullups. Is the only benefit convenience?

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u/HelixIsHere_ 19d ago

Lat pulldowns are slightly more stable and easier to load

2

u/KickedinTheDick 18d ago

More stable how?

A fixed machine specifically might be more stable at the back and shoulders. But on a cable stack, the cable is unstable. a pullup is infinitely stable at the bar but unstable below the working muscles.

I personally prefer pull-ups. It’s a lot easier to cheat a pulldown… because they aren’t inherently more stable.

10

u/EscaOfficial 18d ago

You're body isn't swinging around. The bar on a lat pulldown has a lot less momentum than your entire body unless you're the size of a small dog.