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Lat Pulldown

Also called: Cable pulldown

Primary muscles: Latissimus dorsi

Secondary muscles: Trapezius, Rhomboids (major & minor), Teres major

Joints / actions: Glenohumeral joint (adduction)

Plane: frontal

Equipment: cable-machine

What it is

Seated at a cable machine, pulling a bar from overhead down to the upper chest.

Purpose

A vertical pull that builds the latissimus dorsi; a common progression toward pull-ups.

Starting position

Sit at the pulldown machine, thighs secured, gripping the bar wider than shoulder-width, arms extended overhead.

Step by step

Start by depressing the shoulder blades (think 'pull the shoulders down away from the ears').
Pull the bar to the upper chest, driving the elbows down and slightly back.
Control the bar back up to full stretch overhead.

Breathing

Exhale as you pull down; inhale as the bar rises.

Coaching cues

"Lead with the elbows, bring the bar to the collarbone, no leaning way back."

Common mistakes

Using body swing/momentum; pulling behind the neck; not controlling the return; shrugging.

Easier regression

Lighter load or band-assisted pulldown; machine-assisted pull-up.

Harder progression

Progress toward strict pull-ups.

Alternatives

Pull-up (assisted), straight-arm pulldown.

Who may benefit

People developing vertical pulling strength and working toward pull-ups.

Who should modify or avoid it

Those with shoulder pain overhead should limit range or substitute.

Why this exercise works

The lats are strong adductors/extenders of the arm, so pulling a bar down from overhead directly loads them; it is a scalable path to bodyweight pulling.

⚠ Safety note

Avoid excessive leaning back or behind-the-neck pulling, which can stress the shoulders/neck.

Sources

“The latissimus dorsi (with teres major) adducts and extends the humerus, as in pulling the arm down from overhead.”

Anatomy and Physiology 2e — OpenStax, Rice University · Ch. 11.5 Muscles of the Pectoral Girdle and Upper Limbs

Peer-reviewed textbook · License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Last checked 2026-07-19