Cable Pulldown
The cable pulldown is the go-to machine alternative to pull-ups, letting you build lat width with a fully adjustable, beginner-friendly load.
Equipment
Cable machine
Difficulty
intermediate
Sets & reps
3-4 sets · 10-12 reps
Muscles worked
Lats, Biceps, Rear delts, Traps
A cable-machine pull performed on a lat pulldown station, used to build lat width and back thickness with constant tension through the whole range of motion.
How to do it
- Sit at the pulldown station and secure your thighs under the pad.
- Grip the bar wider than shoulder width with an overhand grip.
- Lean back slightly and pull the bar down to your upper chest.
- Drive your elbows down and back, squeezing your lats at the bottom.
- Slowly let the bar rise back to full arm extension without shrugging.
- Repeat without swinging your torso to move the weight.
Coaching tips
- Pull with your elbows leading, imagining you're pulling them into your back pockets.
- Avoid pulling the bar behind your neck — it stresses the shoulders for no extra benefit.
- A slight lean back is fine; a big swing means the weight is too heavy.
Common mistakes
- Using body momentum instead of the back muscles to move the weight.
- Only pulling halfway down, which limits lat activation.
Frequently asked questions
Wide grip or close grip for lat pulldowns?
A wide grip emphasizes lat width slightly more; a closer grip lets you pull heavier and adds more bicep involvement. Both are valid — rotate between them.
Can pulldowns replace pull-ups?
They're a great stepping stone if you can't yet do a full pull-up, since you can dial the resistance down as needed.
Start tracking your workouts free
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