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Exercise library

Lat Pulldown

Back · Vertical pull

Generic vertical pull demo. Follow the steps below for this exact exercise.

Vertical pullCompound

A cable pulldown to the chest, the most scalable way to train the vertical pull.

Difficulty
Easy
Tracking
Measured in reps

Muscles worked

BackBicepsShoulders

Equipment

Cable machine

How to do it

  1. Sit at the pulldown with your thighs under the pads and grip the bar wider than your shoulders.
  2. Sit tall with a slight backward lean and your chest lifted.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down and back.
  4. Return under control until your arms are straight and your shoulder blades reach up.

Coaching cues

  • Pull the bar in front of your face, never behind your neck.
  • Keep the lean small and constant instead of rowing your whole torso back.