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Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown
A wide-bar cable pulldown that trains the lats through a vertical pulling arc with constant cable tension and easy load adjustment.
BackCableVertical pull
GoLightWeight mediacable-bar-lateral-pulldown
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Latissimus dorsi
Secondary
BicepsLower trapeziusRhomboidsRear deltoids
Equipment
Cable
Pattern
Vertical pull
Setup
- 01Attach a wide lat bar to the high pulley and set the thigh pad to lock the legs down.
- 02Grip the bar wider than shoulder width with an overhand grip.
- 03Sit down with the arms extended overhead and thighs secured under the pad.
- 04Lean the torso back slightly and lift the chest.
Execution
- 01Pull the bar down toward the upper chest by driving the elbows down and back.
- 02Keep the chest tall as the bar approaches the collarbones.
- 03Squeeze the lats hard at the bottom for a beat.
- 04Return the bar under control until the arms are fully extended and the shoulder blades rise.
Checkpoints
- -Elbows track down toward the hips, not backward behind the body.
- -Torso angle stays constant instead of rocking with each rep.
- -Bar touches or nearly touches the upper chest on every rep.
- -Full stretch at the top with the arms straight.
Common mistakes
- -Swinging the torso to heave the weight down.
- -Pulling the bar behind the neck with a rounded posture.
- -Stopping the rep at chin height instead of the upper chest.
- -Gripping so hard the forearms and biceps take over.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps as a primary vertical pull when pull-ups are not yet strong.
- -Slow 3-second eccentrics build the mind-lat connection quickly.
- -Rotate grips and bars across training blocks to cover the lats from multiple angles.
Related exercises
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