alternate lateral pulldown: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of alternate lateral pulldown

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on the cable machine with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
Step:2 Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Step:3 Lean back slightly and pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Step:4 Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the handles back to the starting position.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Cable machine
Body part: Back
Target muscle: Latissimus dorsi Rhomboids
Secondary muscle: Biceps Forearms Trapezius Posterior deltoid

Hypertrophy grade

Good8 / 10

Nemeo’s take

This exercise is a high-precision variation for sculpting the back. By working one arm after the other, you allow a greater range of motion than a fixed bar: you can pull the elbow lower and closer to the body, which maximizes the contraction of the latissimus dorsi. It is the “big brother” of isolation: it forces each side of the back to carry the entire load without help from the opposite side, guaranteeing perfectly symmetrical development. The high pulley provides constant tension which literally "stretches" the fibers of the back during the ascent phase.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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alternate lateral pulldown

How to do this exercise

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