Lat Pulldown
The cable version of the pull-up — same back-building pull, fully adjustable load.
Also called: pulldown, cable pulldown
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Seated with thighs under the pads, grip the bar just outside the shoulders, arms long, chest tall.
How to do the Lat Pulldown
- Pull the bar to the top of the chest, leading with the elbows.
- Chest stays lifted; lean back only slightly and stay there.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades down and together at the bottom.
- Let the arms return fully long under control.
Lat Pulldown muscles worked
The Lat Pulldown works the lats, upper back and biceps.
Common Lat Pulldown mistakes
- Rocking back and hauling with body weight.
- Pulling behind the neck.
- Half-range reps that never fully stretch the lats.
Scale it
Easier: Lighter stack.
Harder: Heavier, or single-arm pulldowns for even side-to-side strength.
Pairs well with
Bent-Over Row
Pulling weight to the torso from a hip hinge — upper-back and lat strength that balances all the pressing and hunching in daily life.
Inverted Row
A horizontal bodyweight pull under a bar or table edge — the pulling twin of the push-up and the on-ramp to pull-ups.
Pull-Up
Pulling your chin over a bar from a dead hang — the benchmark upper-body pull. Chin-ups (palms toward you) are the slightly easier sibling.
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.