Normally, when you're doing a pulldown, you're strongest at the top part of the range of motion and weakest at the bottom...this setup changes that, evening out the tension.
I found this somewhat mimics the effect you get from an old school Nautilus Pullover machine (which I have tried a long time ago).
You get a strong stretch at the top, then as you pull down, you lie back. This change in body position changes the leverage at the shoulder joint, which evens out the strength curve... making you just as strong at the bottom as you are at the top.
To do this one, you'll need a high pulley and a bench (I'm using a decline bench, but it will likely work just as well with a flat or low incline bench).
Here's what the top stretch position looks like (you can also use an overhand grip, if you prefer).
Can you use a regular pulldown machine but face away?
You can... but you may not be able to sit far enough forward of where the pulley comes down to get the peak stretch effect. You could potentially set a bench in front of the seat to allow you to sit forward enough to increase the stretch.
The primary issue I found with this one is you are limited in how much weight you can use because you don't have anything to anchor your body down. That's one of the big criticisms of using the "normal" facing away technique on the pulldown machine.
I know I can solve that by using a heavy bar set on the rails of the power rack to brace the hips, but if you don't have that exact setup, you may need to have a spotter just set a bar on you to mimic the concept. That part is a work-in-progress that I'll keep you updated on.
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Now start the pulldown. Don't heave yourself backwards to get the bar down. You want to gradually lie back as you pull the bar down.
Come all the way down until the bar contacts your chest. When you get to this bottom position, DO NOT flatten out your chest...keep it puffed out to meet the bar. This will help keep the lats engaged.
Then reverse the movement. The bar comes up and your torso comes back up as well to the top stretch position.
I found this one to be very effective at targeting the lats with a full range of motion.
This one is very effective as a finisher for your back after your heavier training is done.
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