Exercises · Lats · Cable

Lat pulldown

At a glance: a cable exercise that pulls a bar down to your chest. Primary muscle: lats. Also works: biceps and upper back. Equipment: cable machine with a pulldown bar.

How to do it

Sit with your thighs under the pad.
Grip the bar wider than your shoulders.
Pull it to your upper chest by driving your elbows down.
Let the bar rise slowly back to the start.

Form cues that help

Lead with your elbows, not your hands.
Keep your chest up and your torso fairly still.
Let your arms straighten fully at the top for a full stretch.

Common mistakes

Leaning back and swinging. Use a lighter weight and keep the torso steady.
Pulling the bar behind your neck. Pull it to your upper chest.
Letting the weight stack yank your arms up. Control the way back up.

Grip variations

A close grip or V-bar, a reverse (underhand) grip and a neutral grip each change the feel slightly. A single-arm version trains one side at a time. All of them follow the same elbows-down pattern.

Building toward pull-ups

The pulldown uses a similar pulling pattern to the pull-up, with weight you can choose. Many people use it to get stronger before they can do bodyweight reps. Pair it with rows such as the barbell row for a balanced back.

How to progress it

Pick a rep range, such as 8 to 12, and add weight once you reach the top on every set. Track each session. See progressive overload.

See it moving in FollowSet

FollowSet has 3D demos for several pulldown variations and logs every set. Download it on the App Store.

General information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain, and ask a qualified coach or clinician if you have a shoulder injury.