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Cable Lat Pullover

The Cable Lat Pullover is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your lats. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 30%, lats (lower) 26% and triceps (long head) 12%.

Also known as: cable pull over, cable pullover

Level: BeginnerEquipment: CableSingle-joint (isolation)
Cable Lat Pullover demonstration

How to do it

  1. Set a pulley at the top of the station and clip on a straight bar.
  2. Grip the bar palms down about shoulder width and step back two steps.
  3. Hinge forward about 30 degrees with soft knees, arms stretched up toward the pulley.
  4. Pull the bar down in an arc with nearly straight arms until it touches your thighs.
  5. Let the bar rise slowly along the same arc until you feel a stretch under the armpits.

Tips

  • Keep the torso angle fixed so the arms move and the body stays still.
  • Finish each rep by pressing the bar lightly into the thighs and squeezing the lats.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows more as the bar comes down.
  • Rocking the torso up and down to move the weight.
  • Shrugging the shoulders at the top of the arc.

Muscles worked by the Cable Lat Pullover

  • Lats (upper) Primary30%
  • Lats (lower) Primary26%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary12%
  • Rear delts Secondary8%
  • Lower chest Minor6%
  • Lower traps Minor6%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer4%
  • Rhomboids Stabilizer4%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer4%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

With the elbows locked, shoulder extension isolates the lats and the long head of the triceps; lying pullovers bring the sternal pec in strongly.

Cable Lat Pullover alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

Make it harder

Similar exercises

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Cable Lat Pullover work?

Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The triceps (long head) and rear delts assist.

Is the Cable Lat Pullover good for beginners?

Yes. The Cable Lat Pullover is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Cable Lat Pullover?

For example the Band Straight Arm Pulldown, Machine Lat Pullover and Kneeling Cable Pullover. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Cable Lat Pullover harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Lat Prayer and Barbell Pull Over.

Sources

  • Marchetti and Uchida 2011, J Appl Biomech 27(4):380-384 (pullover, pec and lats)

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