A lateral pulldown machine assembly, comprising: a lateral pulldown machine having a pivoting lateral pulldown arm; and a pair of gripping assemblies connected to the pivoting lateral pulldown arm, each gripping assembly comprising: a center mount; an outwardly extending arm connected to the center mount; an inwardly extending arm connected to the center mount, the inwardly extending arm having a gripping handle, wherein the center mount comprises a two part rotational mount assembly connected to the inwardly extending arm such that the inwardly extending arm is rotatable between a forwardly angled position at which the gripping handle points towards the lateral pulldown exercise machine and a backwardly pointing position at which the gripping handle points away from the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and wherein the two part rotational mount assembly permits the gripping handle to rotate such that the gripping handle is parallel to the ground in either of the forwardly angled position or the backwardly pointing position; and a swivel link connected to the center mount, wherein the swivel link is pivotally connected to the pivoting lateral pulldown arm of the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and wherein the gripping handle is parallel to the ground while the lateral pulldown arm pivots, wherein the swivel link hangs straight downwardly when suspended from the pivoting lateral pulldown arm of the lateral pulldown exercise machine. a lateral pulldown machine having a pivoting lateral pulldown arm; and a pair of gripping assemblies connected to the pivoting lateral pulldown arm, each gripping assembly comprising: a center mount; an outwardly extending arm connected to the center mount; an inwardly extending arm connected to the center mount, the inwardly extending arm having a gripping handle, wherein the center mount comprises a two part rotational mount assembly connected to the inwardly extending arm such that the inwardly extending arm is rotatable between a forwardly angled position at which the gripping handle points towards the lateral pulldown exercise machine and a backwardly pointing position at which the gripping handle points away from the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and wherein the two part rotational mount assembly permits the gripping handle to rotate such that the gripping handle is parallel to the ground in either of the forwardly angled position or the backwardly pointing position; and a swivel link connected to the center mount, wherein the swivel link is pivotally connected to the pivoting lateral pulldown arm of the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and a center mount; an outwardly extending arm connected to the center mount; an inwardly extending arm connected to the center mount, the inwardly extending arm having a gripping handle, wherein the center mount comprises a two part rotational mount assembly connected to the inwardly extending arm such that the inwardly extending arm is rotatable between a forwardly angled position at which the gripping handle points towards the lateral pulldown exercise machine and a backwardly pointing position at which the gripping handle points away from the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and wherein the two part rotational mount assembly permits the gripping handle to rotate such that the gripping handle is parallel to the ground in either of the forwardly angled position or the backwardly pointing position; and a swivel link connected to the center mount, wherein the swivel link is pivotally connected to the pivoting lateral pulldown arm of the lateral pulldown exercise machine, and wherein the gripping handle is parallel to the ground while the lateral pulldown arm pivots, wherein the swivel link hangs straight downwardly when suspended from the pivoting lateral pulldown arm of the lateral pulldown exercise machine.