Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Cable Rear Pulldown: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable rear pulldown is a strength exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi muscles, performed using a cable machine. It also engages the biceps, rhomboids, and rear deltoids. The movement involves pulling a cable attachment down towards the chest while seated, focusing on squeezing the shoulder blades together.

Primary muscles
Lats
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Traps , Biceps
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the cable rear pulldown
Front view: muscles worked by the cable rear pulldown. Primary: lats. Secondary: shoulders, traps and biceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable rear pulldown. Primary: lats. Secondary: shoulders, traps and biceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable rear pulldown

  1. Step 1: Adjust the cable machine so that the pulley is at the highest position.
  2. Step 2: Sit facing the machine with your feet flat on the ground and your knees slightly bent.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the cable attachment with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Step 4: Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
  5. Step 5: Pull the cable attachment 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 cable back up 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 cable rear 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.

Cable Rear Pulldown alternatives

More exercises that train the lats as their main target:

More lats exercises

See the best lat exercises, ranked →

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.