Lat Pull-down exercises have long been effective in building the upper body and improving muscle hypertrophy, so pull-down exercises are an integral part of conditioning programs for athletes interested in improving strength, musculoskeletal fitness and physical performance. Many athletes also tend to rely on the best Lat Pulldown alternatives for further gains.
Alternatives may be more effective when it comes to training the upper body, especially focusing on the lats muscles. Most of the compound exercises target a group of muscles, so the compound exercises differ in terms of the degree of targeting the muscles and stressing them.
That’s why in this post, we will learn about the 15 best alternatives to lat Pulldown exercise on the cable machine, as well as learn many things related to building muscle and tips from professionals in order to make some progress.
Do you want to build broad lats muscles? If the answer is yes, follow along with me because you will find everything you need without complications.
What is Lat Pulldown?
The Lat pull-down exercise is a compound exercise for the muscles of the back and targets the lat muscles mainly so that it is the muscle with which the maximum contraction and expansion occurs during this exercise.
Lat Pull-down exercises can be done using a pull-down machine with height-adjustable rollers, or with flexible resistance tubes or straps.
Athletes hold the bar or handlebars with a raised and open fist and pull downward away from the center of the bar, elbows slightly in front of the torso, and forward in the line of the scapula. (Lat pulldown more infos)
Lat Pulldown muscle worked
This is a compound exercise that works more than one joint, and this means that it targets most of the muscles associated with these joints. The lats are the muscles that most contract and stretch, so the lat pulldown exercise mainly targets the lats muscles, (look at the targeted muscles in lower).
Here are all the muscles that integrate with this exercise.
Target muscle:
- Latissimus Dorsi
Synergists:
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Biceps Brachii
- Teres Major
- Rear Delts
- Infraspinatus
- Teres Minor
- Rhomboids
- Levator Scapulae
- Traps (Lower, Middle)
- Pectoralis Minor
Stabilizers:
- Triceps, Long Head
Front Pulldown Muscle Targeted
What are the best Lat pulldown alternatives?
There are many alternatives that you can rely on to replace the lat pull-down exercise on the machine.
Perhaps you do not have a cable machine at home, and this does not prevent you from training the lat muscles, so we will learn about the best alternatives without relying on an expensive machine or equipment.
Resistance bands alternatives to lat pulldown
- Banded Pulldown
- Banded straight arm Pulldown
- One arm kneeling Pulldown
- Close grip Pulldown
Dumbbell alternatives to lat pulldown
- Single arm bench supported row
- Incline dumbbell row
- Dumbbell bent over row
- Kroc row
- Dumbbell pullover
Barbell alternatives to lat pulldown
- Barbell Bent-Over Rows
- T-Bar Row
- Meadows Row
- Barbell Pendlay Row
Bodyweight alternatives lat pulldown
- Chin Ups
- Pull Ups
What makes an exercise a good alternative to Lat pulldown?
The quality of the alternative is measured by the range of motion it provides to stretch the target muscles, the greater the range and the more isolating the lat muscles the better, and this is a sign that it is good.
Therefore, a good alternative can target the same muscles and perform the same role, that is, press well on the muscles and extend them on a larger scale and stimulate them to grow and be active.
15 Lat pulldown alternatives for max gain at home
These exercises have been tried before and have given good results to many, and there are many trainers who recommend them and are safe for everyone.
But there are no guarantees that your muscles will grow if you do not maintain a strict exercise program and do things in a correct and safe way, so try to follow the methods that we will present here and work with the tips as well.
1- One arm kneeling Pulldown
Let’s start with the first exercise using the resistance band, it is the same exercise as if you were doing it on the cable machine completely, you will have the same stretch of the muscle and you will be able to put pressure on the lats muscles throughout the exercise, the special thing with the resistance band is that you can increase the resistance when you feel that you have the ability to that.
How to do it correctly.
- Tie the band at a height of two meters, perhaps above your room door would be excellent.
- Move back well until the band is well tightened.
- Kneel your right knee back, keeping your right arm extended up toward where the band is.
- Keep your left foot on the ground, with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your back straight, activate your muscles well
- Start pulling the band with your elbow toward your lat, keeping your elbow close and squeezing your muscles back with each repetition.
- Do the same thing with the other hand.
Pro tip:
You must take advantage of the resistance of the band to put pressure on the lat muscles well, so you must extend your arm well up and pull your elbow in the direction of the lat muscles and press the muscle well back, do not go with your elbow far back, stop when your arm becomes straight on the side of your body.
2- Close grip Pulldown
This is another exercise using a resistance band, and it will also be similar to doing it on a cable machine with a clever grip that provides the same range of muscle stretching and isolates the lats well and puts pressure on them throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- You will need a resistance band that has two grips.
- Attach the band at a high level, above your room door, it will be fine.
- Leave the two fists hanging behind the door, sit with your back to the door.
- Raise your arms and hold the two fists together with your fists (a close grip), it is better if the band’s hands are slightly raised.
- Pull the two fists from the top across your face towards your chest.
- Keep your elbows close to your body during the full pull and squeeze your lat muscles with each repetition.
Pro tip:
Always try to use the band resistance to your advantage, because it is the only source of pressure that keeps your muscles engaged and tense. Squeeze the lat muscles back with each repetition.
3- Bench supported single arm dumbbell row
This exercise is one of the favorite exercises. The dumbbell row with one arm is a great option for training the lats muscles and keeping them tense throughout the exercise. It is also effective in building muscles and building their endurance. It targets every side on its own and that’s what makes you focus on every muscle well and get a good workout.
How to do it correctly:
- We’ll be working with one dumbbell, so choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Stand about half a step near the bench.
- Bend your feet about 10 or 15 degrees, keeping them facing forward.
- Place the hand that is not holding the dumbbell on the bench straight in front of your shoulder.
- Bend your back to the distance of your arm to the bench very straight.
- Keep the height of the shoulders slightly above the height of the hips, keep your head neutral.
- Pull the dumbbells from the depth to the top towards the lats muscles directly, pull your shoulders back as well as your elbows.
- Slowly let your arm fall until it is straight in front of the shoulder.
Pro tip:
Many beginners and even professionals when they do this exercise put their knee on the bench and this makes the spine unstable so avoid doing this, all you should focus on is the elbow movement, keep your forearms in a vertical shape, and drive your elbow behind your back and focus To squeeze the lats muscles well, that is, push them back as soon as you pull the dumbbells up.
4- Incline dumbbell row
This is also one of the best alternatives to training the lats muscles with dumbbells, you will need an inclined chair, if you do not have it, you can do it horizontally on a horizontal bench that will do the trick, the important thing is that it allows you to train your muscles in a different way and keep it tense throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- Set up the reclining seat at a 40-degree angle.
- Lie on the inclined bench, place your upper chest muscles on both edges of the bench from the top.
- Keep your feet in contact with the ground, and the rest of your body straight.
- Keep your arms straight down with your shoulders.
- Hold the dumbbells with two neutral fists.
- Pull your elbows back, squeezing your shoulder and lat muscles with each pull.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your back muscles neutral because we like to focus on the lats more. This means that you shouldn’t squeeze your middle back muscles too much. Keep your elbows at your sides but try to go further back. Let your arms extend down well and slowly pull in the direction of the lats.
5- Barbell Bent-Over Rows
This is another exercise that is one of the most powerful lats exercises with the barbell, as it is a good alternative to lat pull-down exercises, as it mainly targets the lat muscles and puts pressure on them strongly and also helps to increase their size and strength, you can rely on it.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Place your feet close to the bar.
- Determine the point of the grip and keep your fists slightly more than shoulder width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly, keeping your feet pointing forward.
- Bend your back straight, try 70 to 80 degrees.
- Keep your arms straight down at your shoulders and in a neutral position
- Then start pulling the bar toward your torso, pushing your elbows back a little and pushing your muscles back with each repetition.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your back straight, do not pull with your fists, try to pull with your arms and try to feel the tension of the lat muscles with each repetition and continue to press throughout the exercise, do not overpress the muscles of your middle back and just press the lat back with each repetition.
6- T-Bar Row
This is a compound exercise that targets all the muscles of the back, including the lats muscles, many bodybuilders rely on it to target the muscles of the back and it is effective in strengthening and building them, and you can press well on the lats if you contract your muscles and push your elbows back.
Know about the ultimate compound exercises list for the whole body
How to do it correctly:
Since many gyms do not have a T-Bar Row machine, you can count on the Olympic bar being loaded with weight on one side only.
- Put the weight that suits you on one of the sides of the Olympic bar. You will also need a close grip attachment that you will find on most cable machines, so it can be used in this exercise.
- Place the Olympic bar between your feet so that the plate is half a step in front of you.
- Attach the other end of the bar without weights to a wall or other stable object to prevent it from sliding backwards.
- Bend your knees at an angle of 20 or 40 degrees, pass the two close grips under the bar to allow you to hold the bar with a close grip.
- Bend your back straight, keeping your chest pushed forward, then begin to pull the plate to your chest and press your lats back with each repetition.
Pro tip:
When pulling, push your lats and shoulders back and feel the tension of your lats muscles. Keep your focus on the range of motion and activate your muscles constantly and squeeze them with each repetition.
7- Chin Ups
Although it is a body weight exercise, it is more effective when it comes to targeting the lats, it is a strong exercise so do not underestimate your body weight because the biceps muscles will be under the challenge of withstanding the weight of your entire body as it falls down slowly and widely, this let you stretch the lats muscles well And keep it under intense pressure throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- If you are unable to climb the bar or pull up, you can adjust the bar to a height that your hands can easily reach.
- You can use your feet to climb the bar with each repetition.
- Every time your chin is in front of the bar, try to keep a good grip in this position, the biceps muscles will be well contracted.
- Let your body fall as slowly as possible.
Edit for people unable to climb the bar:
- You can adjust the bar to a height you can reach even if your feet are touching the ground. That’s not a problem, the important thing is to keep your lower section neutral.
- Hold the bar firmly, try to keep your chin above the bar and contract the biceps muscles well.
- Lift your feet off the ground and let your body slowly fall down.
Pro tip:
Keep your fists wave backwards (looking behind you) Concentrate on slow The slower you are, the better the quality of the exercise, try not to swing, and feel the tense of your lats with each rep.
8- Banded Pulldown
This is a very special resistance band exercise that is similar to the main exercise we are talking about today. You can do the same exercise without a cable machine and you will get almost the same result and you will have a greater range of muscle stretching.
How to do it correctly:
- Tie the band at a high level, above your room door will be fine, we’ll go with a close grip.
- Get on your knees in front of the door, the band should be short so that it is tight when pulled.
- Hold the band together in two fists, slightly less than shoulder width apart.
- Extend your arms up well, stay away from the door about a step.
- Slowly pull your elbows into your lats, pressing your elbows back with each repetition.
Pro tip:
Try to stay straight and benefit from the resistance of the band as much as possible, extend your arms well up and keep the muscles not tense with each repetition and press well.
9- Banded straight arm Pulldown
Perhaps this exercise will be one of the best back exercises because the straight arm pulldown is ideal in working to improve the upper part of the body and improve the strength of its muscles, especially at the level of the middle back muscles and the sides of the back and even the muscles of the front and back hands, and this is what makes it a natural medicine for back pain and Maintaining its integrity and protecting it from kinetic stagnation resulting from work and so on.
Why is this exercise effective in targeting the lats muscles? Because it keeps the arm straight and this does not require the integration of the biceps muscles, which means that the exercise is 100% targeting the lats muscles.
How to do it correctly:
- You will need a short bar to attach it to the band, if you do not have it there is no problem you can rely on the grips of the band.
- Tie the band at a high level, above your room door will be fine.
- Stand two steps away from the band’s tie, extend your hands well and grab the handles.
- Push your chest forward well, keeping your hands straight at all times.
- Push your torso slightly forward, about less than 30 degrees, push your buttocks back a little, and bend your knees a little.
- Pull the bar or the band grips straight toward the sink.
- Never bend your hands, and try to stay in your position and let only the hands do the workout.
Pro tip:
In this exercise you should make 100% use of the band resistance, with each pull focus on slow and try to keep your arms straight and take advantage of the range available to you to stretch your lats up well and pull down again and try to feel your muscles tense throughout the exercise.
10- Dumbbell bent over row
It is a very good exercise in that the dumbbells grips play a bigger role in putting more challenges to the lats muscles, it is different on the bar but I frankly prefer the bar to do this exercise because it ensures that you stay on the right track, but even dumbbells work and sometimes you may not have the bar so you can count on dumbbells.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Bend your knees slightly and keep your feet pointing forward.
- Bend your back straight, about 90 degrees, trying to be parallel to the floor.
- Extend your arms straight, pick up the dumbbells, keep (your fists curling back), your arms just below your shoulders.
- Starting to pull toward the lats, try to push your elbows slightly behind the back and squeeze the lats back with each repetition.
- Try to pull your arms at the same time, and try to extend them straight with your shoulders and squeeze as much as possible on your muscles.
Pro tip:
It is not just about pulling the dumbbells into the lat muscles, but you must work the lower body muscles like the hamstring in order to remain stable, you must also keep your back straight and try to pull with your arms and put pressure on the lat muscles with each repetition, also try to keep your muscles engaged all the time.
11- Kroc row
This is one of the traditional exercises for the lats muscles using dumbbells. Classical athletes rely on this exercise heavily and go with heavy weights because it is an isolation exercise for the lat muscles, and it trains each muscle individually, which makes you focus on targeting your muscles more, but we will not go with weights Heavy We will be content with weights in line with our fitness level and we will get a great workout for the lats.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose a dumbbell with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Stand in front of the window or in front of anything high and stable in order to support yourself with your hand.
- Step back. Keeping your feet straight, bend your front knee slightly.
- Bend the stem about 45 degrees, and place your hands on a window or other object to support yourself.
- Keep your back straight, and the arm holding the dumbbells straight down.
- Pull the dumbbell with a neutral grip in the direction of your lat, squeeze your muscles back with each pull.
- Do the same with the other side.
Pro tip:
Focus on staying slow, try to pull with your arms and keep your fists neutral but tight on the dumbbells, let your arm extend down well and pull again slowly and at the same time squeeze the lat muscle and bring your elbow back a little bit Don’t overdo it
12- Dumbbell pullover
This is another killer lat exercise that focuses on ripping every muscle in the chest, not just the latissimus dorsi. Dumbbell pullover also focuses on secondarily targeting other muscles such as the abdominals and arms. It is one of the unavoidable exercises when we want to target Chest muscles.
How to do it correctly:
- Always choose dumbbells with a weight you can handle.
- Place the upper part of the back on the bench.
- Bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the ground.
- Your hips and abs will not be supported by anything, so make sure to keep them straight with your chest.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands, lift it over your chest.
- Bring the dumbbells back until your elbows are near your ears.
- Return your hands to the previous position until the dumbbells are above your lower chest.
Pro tip:
You must keep your focus on the lats all the time, try not to bring your hands back too much, stop when the elbows are in front of the bottoms, and also try to keep your body straight all the time.
13- Meadows Row
This is a good lat muscle exercise using the T bar, athletes rely on it as one of the good alternatives to training the lat muscles and pressing them in a different way and motivating them to be more active.
How to do it correctly:
- Get an Olympic bar, carry some weight on one side only.
- Stand next to the bar, place your fist on the outside end of the bar.
- Push your pro-barer foot back a little straight, keeping your other foot a little bent and in a natural position.
- Bend your back straight, supporting your elbow on your knee.
- Hold the bar with the other arm, keeping it straight with your shoulder down.
- Pull your elbow up and squeeze your muscles back with each repetition.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your torso neutral, focus on pulling your elbows up and squeezing your lats back well, extend your arm down well and pull at a moderate speed and try to stay as still as possible.
14- Pendlay Row
The Pendlay row is like the bent over row, but the pendlay is a little different, which makes it do the same role as the bent over row. However, the pendlay row allows some rest for the muscles, but it is better to do it at a slightly higher speed in order to benefit from it well and will help build the durability of your lats and make it more solid as well.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose bar with a weight you can handle without problems.
- Stand and spread your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and keep them facing forward.
- Bend your back straight until it is almost parallel to the ground.
- Pick up the bar from the floor and walk them directly to the side of the chest and lats muscles.
- Put the bar on the floor each time you perform a full pull and return your hands to the starting position.
Pro tip:
Keep your back straight and your chest pushed forward, also when pulling the dumbbells, pull it well until your elbows are behind and put pressure on the lats throughout the exercise.
15- Pull Ups
Pull-up exercises have always been one of the strongest compound exercises that target almost all the muscles of the upper body, and the lats in particular are one of the muscles that are highly targeted during this exercise. Perhaps pull-up exercises may not be everyone’s friend but believe me if you can do 3 repetitions Only that would be more wonderful.
How to do it correctly:
- This stage is very advanced, so we will go directly to the details of the movement. If you cannot do it, I advise you first to follow the guide to make the first successful pull up.
- Climbing the bar, your fists should be slightly more than shoulder width apart.
- Squeeze your abdominal muscles well and tighten your grip on the bar.
- Push your feet forward slightly in a banana-like shape.
- You now need strong arms to pull yourself up, every time it hits your chin in front of the bar you will have successfully pulled up.
Pro tip:
Try to stay away from the momentum, you should pull with the force and not the momentum, try to pull up well and make even your back muscles involved in this should remain solid throughout the exercise.
Training Program
- Beginner : 3 Sets / 8 – 10 Reps / 60 sec Rest
- Intermediate : 4 Sets / 10 – 12 Reps / 60 sec Rest
- Advanced : 5 Sets / 12 – 15 Reps / 60 sec Rest
For Bands Exercises
- Beginner : 3 Sets / 10 – 12 Reps
- Intermediate : 4 Sets / 12 – 15 Reps
- Advanced : 5 Sets / 15 – 20 Reps
Useful links
These links may be useful to you if you are a fan of building fitness and strength or gaining muscle at home, these links contain the most powerful CrossFit exercises that you can rely on mainly.
If you are a fan of strength workouts for the upper body, you can rely on these workouts at home, believe me, you may not need anyone to build strong fitness only at home.
Work more on your chest with the best chest exercises
The lat pulldown wide grip guide for max gain
Target your delts with the most powerful exercise for shoulders (full guide)
Strengthen your forearm to improve your performance with weightlifting
Also, if you want to focus on the muscles of the lower body, you may find these links very useful, you can rely on them to learn the correct movements and ways to build muscle.
Rear elevated squat guide for achieving the max gain
8 Best Romanian deadlift alternatives for max gain
