@liftrunbang: I can't get to my FYP without seeing some asparagus armed "SBL" doing that stacked ribcage pulldown where he only pulls it down to his forehead. First off..... Leaning back does not make a pulldown an "upperback exercise". Torso inclination NOT spinal extension in this context has no effect on making this less lats and more upperback. It's the SAME degree of lat activation when you lean back BUT we get slightly more traps and rear delts because the scap will articulate slightly different than when you're vertical. We know this BECAUSE ITS BEEN TESTED PMID: 40981044 And all we see is that the lat activation is same across the board WITHIN SUBJECT DESIGN TESTING, regardless of forearm (grip position) and regardless of whether you have some lean back or remain completely vertical. TO ADD... If you want maximum lat activation it's more important to close off the end ROM on your pulls and the only pulling down to the forehead is NONSENSE. You cannot bias divisions of the lats Some lean back is GREAT because it's a better total back exercise You need to close off that end range of motion in lat pulls for better overall lat activation

Paul Carter

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Monday 12 October 2026 15:04:27 GMT