How to do the lat pulldown
A beginner-friendly back exercise that builds your lats at any strength level, and the best way to work toward your first pull-up.
The Helthy team · Updated · 5 min read
- Works
- Lats
- Also works
- Biceps, Upper back
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Beginner
The lat pulldown does what a pull-up does, except you choose the weight. That makes it the obvious pick if you can't do pull-ups yet, and a useful one even once you can: you can do sets of 12 to 15 with a chosen load, which is hard to set up with bodyweight. Don't treat it as the lesser version. For building muscle, a well-done pulldown is every bit as good.
How to do a lat pulldown
- Set the thigh pad so it pins your legs. Sit down and adjust the pad until it presses snugly on the top of your thighs, with your feet flat on the floor. If the pad is too high, you'll lift off the seat on heavy reps.
- Take a grip just wider than shoulder width. Stand up, grab the bar overhand, and sit back down, pulling the bar with you so your arms are straight above you. On most bars, your hands end up just inside where the ends start to bend down.
- Lean back slightly. Tilt your torso back about 10 to 20 degrees, just enough that the bar can pass your face. Lift your chest toward the bar.
- Pull the bar to your upper chest. Drive your elbows down and in toward your ribs. The bar should end just below your collarbone, with your elbows pointing at the floor and slightly behind you.
- Squeeze for a moment. Hold the bottom for half a second and feel the sides of your back tighten. Your torso angle is the same as it was at the start.
- Let the bar rise until your arms are straight. Take two seconds. At the very top, it's fine to let your shoulders rise toward your ears for a full stretch, as long as you pull them back down first on the next rep.
The weight stack shouldn't touch down between reps. If it's clanking, you're either going too fast or not letting the bar all the way up.
Cues for the lat pulldown
"Elbows to your back pockets." Driving your elbows down and back, rather than pulling with your hands, is the quickest way to feel your lats working. It also stops the bar drifting down in front of your face with your elbows pointing forward.
"Chest up to meet the bar." Lifting your chest keeps your upper back from rounding, and it gives the bar a target. If you slump, the bar tends to stop at your chin.
"Hands are hooks." Hold the bar with your fingers and think of your hands as just hooks. It takes your biceps and forearms out of the pull, which helps if your arms tire before your back does.
"Pull the bar apart." If your lats still don't switch on, try to pull your hands apart along the bar as you pull down. It's like trying to stretch the bar, and it tends to line the elbows up in the right place.
Common mistakes
Leaning back like you're rowing. You start upright, and by the end of the rep you're leaning back 45 degrees, using your bodyweight to drag the bar down. It's a sign the weight is too heavy. A little lean is correct; a big swing back turns the pulldown into a sloppy row. Set a lean at the start and hold it for the whole set.
Pulling the bar behind your neck. Behind-the-neck pulldowns force your head forward and your shoulders into a position that many people's shoulders don't tolerate well, especially under load. They don't train your lats any better than pulling to the front. We'd skip them entirely.
Doing it all with your arms. The bar gets to your chin, your elbows point forward, and you feel it mostly in your biceps. Usually it's a pull led by the hands, not the elbows. Lighten the weight, use the "elbows to your back pockets" cue, and slow the last few inches down.
Yanking the weight down. The rep starts with a jerk, and the bar crashes down. The stack flying up and down puts your shoulders at risk at the top of the rep, and the momentum does work your back should do. Start each rep with a smooth pull.
Sets, reps and how much weight to use
For muscle growth, do 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, or 10 to 15 at the end of a session. For strength, especially if you're building toward pull-ups, sets of 6 to 8 heavier reps work well. Pick a weight you could do two or three more reps with while still pulling to your upper chest. Rest about 90 seconds to two minutes.
Pulldowns go well either first on a back day, if you can't do pull-ups yet, or after your heavy row. Once your reps hit the top of your range on all your sets, go up one plate on the stack and drop back to the bottom of the range. There's more on how to plan this in our guide to progressive overload.
| Bodyweight | beginner | intermediate | advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 45 lb (20 kg) | 80 lb (36 kg) | 110 lb (50 kg) |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 55 lb (25 kg) | 95 lb (43 kg) | 135 lb (61 kg) |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 65 lb (29 kg) | 115 lb (52 kg) | 160 lb (73 kg) |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 75 lb (34 kg) | 130 lb (59 kg) | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| 250 lb (113 kg) | 90 lb (41 kg) | 150 lb (68 kg) | 215 lb (98 kg) |
Machines vary a lot. A stack with a different pulley setup can make the same number on the pin feel much heavier or lighter, so compare yourself with your own numbers on the same machine rather than with this table. If you're working toward pull-ups, don't wait for a magic pulldown number first. The two don't line up neatly, so start pull-up negatives alongside your pulldowns.
Variations and alternatives
- Close-grip pulldown: a V-handle with palms facing each other. It gives you a longer pull and many people feel their lower lats more. A good second pulldown.
- Underhand pulldown: palms facing you, about shoulder width. More biceps, and it closely matches the chin-up.
- Single-arm cable pulldown: one handle at a time, pulled down toward your hip. Good for fixing imbalances and for feeling the lats work.
- Pull-up: the bodyweight version, once you can do a few clean reps.
- Resistance band pulldown: loop a band over a high anchor, kneel and pull. It works at home, though the resistance increases toward the bottom.
Lat pulldown questions
Is the lat pulldown as good as pull-ups?
For building muscle, yes, if you do it with the same effort. Pull-ups have the edge in core and body control and they're a better test of strength relative to bodyweight, but the pulldown lets you choose any weight and rep range. Most people do well with both in their week.
Which grip is best?
Grip width matters less than people think. Just wider than shoulder width is a good default, and variety over time is fine: overhand on one day, a close neutral grip on another. Very wide grips shorten the pull and don't build wider lats.
Why do I feel lat pulldowns in my biceps?
Your biceps bend your elbows, so they always help. If they're doing most of the work, you're pulling with your hands. Use the hooks cue, pull your elbows down, and go lighter until you can feel the sides of your back. Straps can help if your grip is the limit.