Reverse-grip lat pulldown

What is a reverse-grip lat pulldown?

A reverse-grip lat pulldown is a seated cable pull performed with the palms facing you. An underhand grip on the bar distinguishes it from the standard overhand pulldown; the bar travels in front of the body.

How do you perform a reverse-grip lat pulldown?

Set up

1. Choose your load and adjust the thigh pad to hold your legs against the seat. Take an underhand grip on the bar with the hands about shoulder-width apart.
2. Sit beneath the cable with both feet on the floor. Keep the palms facing you and the wrists aligned with the forearms.
3. Begin with the arms extended overhead. Lift your chest, brace your trunk and settle into a small backward lean.

Execution

1. Bring the bar toward the top of your chest, moving both elbows down beside your torso. Hold the same torso angle as the bar descends.
2. End the pull before your shoulders roll forward or you need to lean farther back to lower the bar.
3. Let the attachment rise under control until your arms extend overhead again. Allow the shoulder blades to move with the reach.

Common mistakes

• Leaning farther back during the pull

  Choose a lighter load if the rep needs a backward swing. Start and finish each pull with the same torso angle.

• Bending the wrists to finish the pull

  Keep the hands in line with the forearms instead of curling the bar toward you as it approaches the chest.

• Cutting the return short

  Return to the overhead starting position under control so the next repetition follows the same path.

Where it fits in a session

Use it where your session calls for a vertical pull.

Keep the grip and attachment consistent when comparing your sets. Select a load that permits the same seated posture throughout.

Muscles worked

Variations

• 

  Lat pulldownUses an overhand grip on a bar.
• 

  Neutral-grip lat pulldownUses a parallel handle with the palms facing each other.
• 

  Single-arm lat pulldownUses one handle to pull with each arm separately.

Frequently asked questions