Fysiqal

Vertical Pull · Beginner

Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown

Compound vertical pull exercise using cable, machine.
Movement pattern
Vertical Pull
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Cable, Machine
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Frontal

Free account. Log your sets of Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown and each workout shows your best set by estimated 1RM.

Log this exercise & track your 1RM free in Fysiqal →

How to do the Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Seated at a lat pulldown machine, gripping the bar with a supinated (underhand, palms facing you) grip at roughly shoulder width.

  1. Pull the bar down to your upper chest, driving your elbows down and back -- a supinated grip shifts emphasis toward your lower lats, versus a pronated grip's upper-lat emphasis.

  2. Keep your forearms in line with the cable path as you pull, and lead with your elbows rather than your hands.

  3. Return under control to a full stretch at the top.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back excessively and using body momentum to help pull the bar down instead of a controlled lat-driven pull.

  • Pulling the bar behind your neck -- always pull to the front; this exercise should never be performed as a behind-neck movement, which carries a real, separate shoulder external-rotation injury risk.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Shoulder adductionprimary action

    Latissimus dorsi (prime mover, high emphasis); Teres major (synergist, high emphasis); Posterior deltoid (synergist, low emphasis)

  • Elbow flexionsecondary action

    Biceps brachii (synergist, high emphasis); Brachialis (synergist, moderate emphasis); Brachioradialis (synergist, low emphasis)

  • Scapula depressionsecondary action

    Trapezius (synergist, moderate emphasis); Rhomboids (stabilizer, low emphasis)

Related exercises

All vertical pull exercises →

From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.