Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Band Underhand Pulldown: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The band underhand pulldown is a resistance band exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi (lats) and also engaging the biceps and forearms. It mimics the movement of a lat pulldown machine but uses a resistance band anchored overhead.

Primary muscles
Lats
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Forearms
Equipment
Band
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the band underhand pulldown
Front view: muscles worked by the band underhand pulldown. Primary: lats. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the band underhand pulldown. Primary: lats. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the band underhand pulldown

  1. Step 1: Attach the band to a high anchor point, such as a pull-up bar or sturdy beam.
  2. Step 2: Stand facing the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the band with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Step 4: Extend your arms fully overhead, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Step 5: Engage your lats and pull the band down towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the band underhand pulldown by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Band Underhand Pulldown alternatives

More exercises that train the lats as their main target:

More lats exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.