Pulldown Variations (Know the Difference!) When doing pulldowns, changing your grip can help you target different back muscles. A medium grip (about 1.5x shoulder width) focuses on the latissimus dorsi. A narrow grip shifts emphasis to the lower lats, while a wide grip targets the upper lats and teres muscles. Using a narrow underhand grip also hits the lower lats, while increasing biceps involvement. If you switch to a rope attachment with a thumbs-down, pinkies-up grip, you’ll engage more of t