Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown
Strengthen your back and build a wider frame with the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown. Target your lats for a powerful physique!
The Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown is a compound exercise that mainly works the back and shoulders, with help from the traps. You'll need: wide bar attachment or cable machine.
Required Equipment
Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown Muscles Worked
Primary
Lats (latissimus dorsi); Rear Shoulder (Delts) (posterior deltoid)
Secondary
Rhomboids (Shoulder Blade) (rhomboids, major & minor); Mid Traps (trapezius, middle fibers)
Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown
Sit down on a cable machine bench that is equipped with a lat pulldown bar above head height.
Adjust the knee pad to fit snugly against your legs to prevent your body from rising up due to the weight resistance.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with your palms facing away from you.
Pull your shoulder blades back slightly and down, puff out your chest, and maintain a straight back.
Exhale and pull the bar down smoothly toward your upper chest, leading with your elbows and keeping them pointed straight down.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar down, focusing the tension in your lats.
Hold the contraction at the bottom for a moment.
Inhale as you allow the bar to slowly return to the starting position with arms extended and shoulders stretched upward, without letting the weight stack touch down between reps.
Repeat the movement for the recommended number of repetitions, typically 8-12 for muscle growth or more for endurance training.
After completing your set, carefully release the bar back to its starting position and disengage from the machine.
Make sure to perform the exercise in a controlled manner, avoiding any jerky motions or using momentum to lift the weight, as this can lead to injury and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
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Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown FAQs
What muscles does the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown work?
The Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown mainly works the back and shoulders, with help from the traps. The main muscles are the latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoid.
What equipment do you need for the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown?
Wide bar attachment or cable machine.
Is the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown a compound exercise?
Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.
What workout day should the Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown go on?
It belongs on pull day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Cable Bar Lateral Pulldown variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the Cable Incline Single-Arm Lat Pulldown, Cable Lateral Pulldown with Grip Mag, Cable Standing Pulldown and Cable Close-Grip Lat Pulldown.
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