These are both good choices and some of the best while trying to get the most out of your exercise with the least amount of time spent in the gym working out.
Let’s take a look at which exercise between the lat pull-down verses the barbell row works the most muscles or causes the most muscle activation through a study that was performed by Holly Edelburg, B.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Daniel J. Green .
The barbell row outscored the lat pull-down for 4 of the primary back muscle groups from a study. The barbell row scored just below 140 and the lat pull -down scored just above 80 for the Middle Trapezius. The lower Trapezius muscle score for the barbel row was just below 140 and the lat pull-down was above 80. The Latissimus Dorsi score for the barbel row was under 120 and the lat pull-down above 100. Lastly, the Erector Spinae for the barbel row score was above 80 where the lat pull-down was below 40. The figure out the scores researchers used an EMG for each muscle. The goal was to find the exercises that used the most muscle activation for the primary back muscle.
Muscles groups that Trained by Lat-Pull downs and Barbell Rows
There are many different exercises when it comes to training your lattimus dorsai known as the two big long muscles that run up and down the left and right side of your back.
Here are the muscles in the back we training. We want to train as many as possible at once, this why barbell exercises are the best because they train more than one muscle group at a time.
- Latissimus dorsi- extension, adduction, horizontal abduction, and internal rotation of the shoulder
- erector spinae- extension and lateral flexion of the spine
- middle trapezius- upward rotation and adduction of the scapulae
- lower trapezius- depression of the scapula
These are the main major muscle groups in the back that we are trying to train when doing exercises such as a lat pulldown or a barbell row.
These are the main 6 exercises that train the muscle groups listed above.
| Lat pull-down | Seated row |
| Inverted row | Bent-over row |
| Chin-up | Pull-up |
Lat Pulldown vs Barbell Row Study
We can see that there are multiple exercises to help train the back and there is a reason for this. This is because training the muscles in your back can vary in terms of their degree of functions and muscle contraction.
We’re going to do is look at these studies with the five major muscle groups in the back which are listed above for their primary.
During the studies, the researchers picked these muscle groups for the purpose of covering the muscles from the lower part of the back up to the upper part of the back.
They also pick these muscle groups because there is a term called “cross-talk” which happens when muscle signals block other muscle signals because of the layering I’ll be back muscles.
Turn the study there were 19 guys between the ages of 18 and 25 who were chosen to do the study. They took the first two sessions to get familiar and learn the 8 exercises.
They completed these four exercises, lat pulldown, bent over row, seated row and I-Y-T raises. Each of the men in the study did a one rep max for each exercise.
The other exercises performed in the study are bodyweight more, so finding their one-rep max was not as important.
During their next session approximately 48 hours later they used testing variables such as maximal voluntary contractions calling all five of the muscle groups being assesed.
They use electromyography or otherwise known as EMG which is very standard when doing studies in testing the muscle groups there is a movement of an exercise. This helps cut out a lot of the guesswork and helps show exactly what is going on during training.
Each of the five muscle groups it works compared during training to check muscle activity for their maximal voluntary contractions with each of the back muscles.
The study consisted of the participants to train with 70% of their one-rep max or of their body weight. they were directed to workout using 5 repetitions speech back exercise and then they had a rest. For 2 minutes in between each of the exercises.
Lat pull-down Form
Let’s take a look at the form that was used during the studies lat pulldown will help us learn how to do the exercise in a relationship to which back muscles are being worked.
They got the participants to sit down in the machine with their thighs under the pads to help from moving around.
Next, they had them take a shoulder-width technique, hands facing forward while gripping the bar.
They used a starting motion with their arms up and elbows above their head and before they started the lat pull, they positioned their shoulder blades down and back (scapular retraction.)
During the lap pull-down exercise, they allowed a slight backbend before completing the exercise by pulling the bar straight down to the top of the chest and with a short pause.
After pulling the bar straight down on the contraction part of the exercise they return back up on the eccentric part (going back up) to there neutral position where they started.
Barbell Back Row form
During the barbell row, they use a standard grip with their palms facing down and kept there shoulders, elbows and wrists in a straight vertical line.
The participants had to lift the bar from the rack while using their hips and bending forward. They also had to keep their back straight with a slight Bend at the knees.
Next, they also made sure that each guy lowers the bar to the ground call keeping their elbows straight. They finished off the exercise with the concentric part by pulling in the weight back towards their sternums while keeping a flat back.
Staying in that position while keeping a flat back and pulling the barbell weight to your sternum is very crucial during exercise. After pulling a bar up on the concentric phase of the exercise they begin to lower the bar back down on the eccentric.
It’s important to make sure that your back remains in a straight position while moving your arms towards your chest and back towards the ground. This is so that you’re getting the right amount of muscle activation from the back.
Which exercise worked the most back muscles from the Study
Middle Trapezius
Let’s take a look at this study to see the breakdown from which muscle groups are getting the most activation from the lat pulldown first place the barbell row.
For the middle trapezius muscles, the barbell row scored Just below 140. as to where the lat pulldown for just above 80.
This pretty much a no-brainer and a significantly big difference when it comes to the barbell row being superior versus the lat pulldown for training the middle trapezius muscles.
Lower Trapezius
As for training the lower trapezius the I-Y-T raises scored Just above 100, higher than all others when it came to training this muscle group. Following up In a close second just below 100 was the barbell bent-over row and they are what that pull down Scored just above 80.
So far the weight of a barbell row has been pretty superior versus the pull-down. which I what’s the name of this would be the case but interested to see if the lat pulldown we’ll have some benefits where The barbell row will not.
Latissimus dorsi
The pull-up exercise scored just above 120 and the chin-up scored about 130. These were much higher numbers but when it came to training latissimus dorsi then all other exercises. However, the barbell bent-over row and lat pulldown didn’t fair too bad as the lat pulldown scored just above 100 and the bent-over barbell row scored just below 120.
Erector Spinae
Lastly, let’s take a look at the erector spinae and how the lat pulldown fared versus the barbell row. The barbell row once again as it has been shown to be a much Superior exercise for targeting more back muscles at once with more activation in them as well.
The barbell row scored just over 80 as to where the lat pulldown scored Just below 40. The lat pulldown actually proved to be the worst exercise out of 8 exercises for targeting the erector spinae.
| The barbell row is a far superior exercise verse the lat pull-down. A study checked all 5 of the major back muscles with an EMG on the muscles and the barbell row outscored the lat pull-down in all of them |
Final Thoughts
The barbell row is a much more superior exercise to the lat pull down when training your back.
That’s not to say you should never do lat pulldowns, but as always a barbell exercise should always be the staple of your workouts.
The barbell exercise outscored the lat pulldown in every EMG for all five of the primary back muscles.