When it comes to building a strong, well-developed back, most lifters focus on rows and pull-ups, but one of the best lat-building exercises is often overlooked: the cable pullover. This underrated movement isolates the latissimus dorsi in a way that traditional rowing exercises can’t, making it a powerful tool for improving upper body strength, posture, and overall back aesthetics.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the cable pullover, including how to perform it correctly, common mistakes to avoid, and variations to try. When you know how to do them right, you can maximize your lat engagement and make every rep count.
How the Cable Pullover Works the Lats
At its core, the cable pullover primarily recruits the lats, one of the largest muscles in the back. Unlike traditional rowing exercises, which also engage the trapezius and rhomboids, the pullover isolates the lats due to the straight-arm pulling motion.
Because the movement involves pulling resistance from a high position to the waist, it emphasizes shoulder flexion and extension, directly activating the lats without excessive involvement from the traps.
We've talked about how powerlifters train back muscles. The key here is to target muscle groups that benefit bench press, squat, and deadlift. This is one reason our coaches often recommend ancillary exercises that benefit muscle groups that support the big three.
Consider the dumbbell incline press. It works the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Tricep muscles. These all play a role in supporting bench press strength. Cable pullovers have similar wholistic benefits.
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How to Perform the Cable Pullover Correctly
Here's how to set up the cable pullover and the step-by-step instructions on how to do it properly. Note the starting position, which begins at a slight angle for the standard version of this exercise. The video and photos show the standing cable pullover, but the movement can be mirrored in a seated position.
- Set up the cable machine: Attach a rope or straight bar to the high pulley of a cable machine.
- Position yourself correctly: Stand in a slight hinge position, creating about a 60-degree angle with your upper body.
- Grip the handle: Hold the rope or bar with arms extended straight in front of you.
- Execute the movement:
- Pull the cable down toward your waist, keeping your arms straight.
- Control the weight as you return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
One key factor is grip selection. Using a rope allows for a neutral grip but may encourage slight elbow bending, which can recruit the triceps unintentionally. A straight bar prevents elbow flexion, keeping the lats fully engaged throughout the entire range of motion.
Note that these are done with overhand grip. Using an underhand grip is a variation, but it's not the standard way to do cable pulldowns.
The video shows the body angle, the starting position, and what the bottom of the movement looks like. Note that I'm using a rope for my cable attachment. You can, and often should, use a straight bar attachment to ensure your elbows are in proper position for cable pulldowns.
Common Mistakes Lifters Make with Cable Pullovers
Some of the most common mistakes people make when performing the cable pullover come down to poor positioning, incorrect range of motion, and unnecessary muscle activation. Let’s go over a few key ones so you can get the most out of this exercise.
Bending the Elbows Too Much
One of the biggest mistakes is turning this into a triceps exercise rather than a lat movement. If you bend your elbows too much during the pullover, you start engaging the triceps instead of keeping the focus on the latissimus dorsi. This usually happens when using a rope attachment, as the neutral grip can tempt you to bend the arms slightly. Use the bar attachment to avoid this issue entirely.
Using Too Much Weight
A lot of people make the mistake of loading up too much weight, which often leads to compensating with other muscles. If you’re using a weight that forces you to engage your shoulders, biceps, or traps excessively, you’re not effectively targeting the lats. Keep the resistance challenging but controlled, ensuring that your form doesn’t break down.
Standing Too Upright
Your body positioning matters. If you’re standing too upright while performing the pullover, you’re reducing the range of motion, limiting how much stretch and activation your lats get. Instead, hinge forward slightly at about a 60-degree angle, allowing for a deeper stretch at the top and better contraction at the bottom.
Not Controlling the Eccentric (Upward) Phase
A lot of lifters focus solely on pulling the weight down but neglect the eccentric phase—the return to the starting position. If you let the weight snap back up too quickly, you’re missing out on one of the most effective parts of the movement. Slowing down the return will increase time under tension, which is key for lat development.
Shortening the Range of Motion
Another big mistake is cutting the movement short, either by not stretching fully at the top or not pulling all the way down to the waist. If you’re not allowing the lats to fully lengthen and contract, you’re leaving gains on the table. Make sure you bring the handle all the way up to where you feel a deep lat stretch and then pull it fully down to your waist.
Leaning Too Far Forward
While you do want to maintain a slight forward hinge, leaning too far forward can shift tension away from the lats and onto the shoulders. Make sure your upper body is angled correctly, around 60 degrees, not 90 degrees, to maximize lat activation.
Neglecting Core Engagement
If your core isn’t engaged, you might feel unstable or notice your lower back arching during the movement. Even though the cable pullover is a back-focused exercise, your core should remain tight throughout to provide stability. If you’re struggling with control, try bracing your abs and slightly bending your knees to maintain a strong, solid stance.
Chest and Core Engagement
While some may compare the cable pullover to a dumbbell pullover, this exercise is not designed to activate the chest muscles. The resistance is applied vertically from above, pulling down toward the waist, which eliminates the pectoral engagement found in a dumbbell pullover. The movement pattern is dictated by shoulder extension, making it a back-focused exercise rather than a chest-building one.
So sometimes lifters ask if the cable pulldown works the chest. The short answer is no, not as a target focus.
Though primarily a Latissimus Dorsi exercise, the core can also play a stabilizing role, depending on how you execute the movement. If you perform the exercise from an upright standing position, it requires greater core engagement to maintain balance and posture. This variation can help develop core stability while still working the lats.
Best Variations of the Cable Pullover
While we tend to focus on cable pullovers to build back muscles and stronger shoulder joints, another benefit (and this is surprising) is that the lats are ancillary muscles for respiration. And don't take my word for it. That comes from the National Library of Medicine.
So there are many benefits to adding cable pullovers to a workout. And those looking for variations have a few options. Plus, there are specific physiological benefits to variations in lat exercises. Here are a few solid alternatives:
- Band-Resisted Pullover: Attach a resistance band to a high anchor point and perform the movement in the same manner. This provides a similar resistance pattern and is ideal for home workouts.
- Dumbbell Pullover: While this variation involves a different resistance angle, it still engages the lats. However, it may also recruit the chest, making it slightly less effective for lat isolation.
The cable pullover is an excellent exercise for isolating the lats and improving overall back strength. By maintaining straight arms and pulling the weight downward toward your waist, you ensure maximum lat engagement without unnecessary trap activation. Choosing a straight bar over a rope attachment may also help prevent elbow flexion, keeping the movement focused on the intended muscles.
If you want to add variation, try band-resisted pullovers or adjust your stance to challenge your core. No matter how you implement it, the cable pullover remains a valuable addition to any back-training program.
