Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Cable Underhand Pulldown: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable underhand pulldown is a strength exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi (lats) with secondary emphasis on the biceps and forearms. It involves pulling a cable bar down towards the chest using an underhand grip, which can help improve back strength and muscle definition.

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

How to do the cable underhand pulldown

  1. Step 1: Adjust the cable machine so that the pulldown bar is at a height above your head.
  2. Step 2: Sit down on the seat and grab the pulldown bar with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Keep your back straight and lean back slightly.
  4. Step 4: Pull the bar down towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the bar back up to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable 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.

Cable 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.