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Standing Cable Lat Pulldown

The standing cable lat pulldown is a pulling exercise that builds strength in the upper body. This compound movement targets the latissimus dorsi, biceps, and trapezius muscles.

Performing lat pulldowns using a standing position boosts back strength, improves posture, and intensifies core activation. Unlike traditional seated versions, the standing position introduces an additional challenge by engaging the core throughout the movement.

Introducing these exercises into your workout routine enhances your overall fitness and strength. In this article, we take a look at the correct form, programming, and benefits in more detail. Let’s take a detailed look below!

How To Do

Stand in front of a cable lat pulldown machine with your feet hip-width apart.
While keeping a neutral back, slightly bend your knees and hinge at your hips so your glutes are slightly behind you. Keep your chest up with your head facing forward.
Extend your arms forward and grip the straight bar. Use a double overhand grip, palms facing down. Your grip should be slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and bring the bar straight back towards your chest. Maintain the same body position throughout.
Pause briefly at the bottom position. Inhale and bring the bar back to the starting position under control.
Repeat for the appropriate sets and reps.

Tips From Expert

Activate the core muscles to stabilize the spine and maintain the correct body position.
Keep your chest up and head forward throughout the movement.
Maintain a controlled tempo to keep stability.
Maintain a neutral position in the spine to avoid stress on the lower back.
Make sure you do not fully extend the elbows at the initial phase. Keeping the joints slightly bent will safeguard them.
Focus on contracting the lats before pulling to enhance the mind-muscle connection.
Perform the normal seated version of the lat pulldown before progressing to this variation. Ensuring proper form is essential to effectively target the correct muscles and maintain overall safety.
Before pulling the bar towards you, focus on contracting your lats as the primary movers. This helps to develop a better mind-muscle connection and improve performance.

Optimal Sets and Reps

It is important to adjust your routine based on your fitness goals to maximize exercise effectiveness. The table below outlines the reps and sets for various training styles.

Training Type	Sets	Reps
Strength Training	3–5	4–6
Hypertrophy	3–4	8–12
Endurance Training	3–4	12–20
Power Training	3–5	1–3 (Explosive)

Optimal Sets & Reps of Standing Cable Lat Pulldown

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The standing cable lat pulldown is a functional exercise that increases strength and enhances core stability. Adding this exercise to your workout split can greatly improve workout results by targeting the back muscles. It’s also great for enhancing overall muscle balance.

Upper Body Split — The standing cable lat pulldown can be incorporated into various upper body splits. A combination of biceps and back can be effective for balanced upper body development. Pair it with bicep curls and cable rows.
Back Day Split — Include the standing cable lat pulldown as one of your primary back exercises. Begin with compound movements like bent-over rows and deadlifts to target the lats from different angles. Follow with back extensions to enhance lower back activation and overall strength.
Full-Body Split — Include the standing cable lat pulldown in this workout split. Utilize compound movements like squats and accessory movements like shoulder presses. Pair it with isolation exercises like calf raises which target the major muscle groups.

Loading recommendations should be tailored to your fitness level and experience. The following guide defines your one-repetition maximum or 1RM as the maximum weight you can lift for a single repetition. Consider consulting with a personal trainer if necessary for accurate assessment and guidance.

Strength Training — Use 80%–100% of your 1RM, 2–3 minutes of rest between sets.
Hypertrophy Training — Use 60%–80% of your 1RM, 60–90 seconds of rest between sets.
Endurance Training — Use 40–60% of your 1RM, 60–90 seconds of rest between sets.
Power Training — Use 80%–100% of your 1RM, 2–3 minutes of rest between sets.

Regardless of your training goals, arm workouts for women and men can provide targeted isolation. The standing cable lat pulldown can also be added to these exercises.

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Equipment

Straight Bar Attachment

This easily attaches to a cable machine and can be used for a wide variety of arm exercises. Ensure your hands are in the correct position to limit wrist stress.

Single Pulley Tower

This is a smaller cable machine option that takes up less space. It can be used with a wide range of attachments.

Who Should Do?

Bodybuilders

The main goal of a bodybuilder is to improve appearance. To do this, they need to perform suitable resistance training with enough volume to ensure an adequate stimulus. Training volume has been shown as a key determinant of muscle growth when it comes to resistance training.

The standing cable lat pulldown effectively isolates the lats and engages a significant portion of the back and arm musculature. This provides enough volume needed for bodybuilders looking to improve their back musculature.

Including the standing cable lat pulldown after your compound lifts ensures a thorough muscle-building strategy, maximizing muscle engagement and growth. This makes it a vital addition for bodybuilders.

Athletes

The standing cable lat pulldown aims to strengthen key shoulder and back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and biceps. These are crucial for athletic performance movements to ensure correct movement patterns can take place.

Swimmers use these muscles to boost stroke power and shoulder stability, enhancing their performance in the water. Basketball players benefit from improved shoulder strength and upper back stability, which enhances their jumping ability and maneuvering skills.

The standing cable lat pulldown builds shoulder and upper-back strength, aiding in performance enhancement and injury prevention. Each athlete can adapt this exercise to meet their sport-specific needs and goals.

Powerlifters

Powerlifters can incorporate the standing cable lat pulldown to strengthen key upper back muscles like the latissimus dorsi and trapezius. Powerlifters use their lats in pulling events such as deadlifts and rows. Strengthening these muscles can significantly improve performance.

The enhanced lat strength and stability seen when performing the standing cable lat pulldown can therefore enhance powerlifting performance. It also supports balanced muscle development, improves posture, and helps prevent injuries by promoting better alignment.

Who Should Not Do?

Individuals With Shoulder Mobility Issues

Individuals with shoulder pain or limited shoulder mobility often have a reduced range of motion. The standing cable lat pulldown requires significant shoulder extension, which may be difficult or painful for these individuals. Attempting this exercise with compromised shoulder mobility can aggravate existing issues and lead to further discomfort or injury.

It is crucial to consult a qualified health professional to develop a suitable treatment plan and explore alternative exercises. Always seek medical advice before resuming exercises that may exacerbate shoulder pain or mobility problems.

Total Beginners

Beginners with improper form or posture should avoid the standing cable lat pulldown. They may find the standing cable lat pulldown difficult. This is due to challenges with technique, balance, grip strength, muscle engagement, and resistance control.

It is crucial for beginners to first develop a solid training base using standard movements. Holding the standing position during the lat pulldown demands strong core stability to ensure balance and correct posture.

Benefits Of The Exercise

Builds Strength

To effectively build upper-body strength, using exercises that offer consistent resistance is crucial. The standing cable lat pulldown targets the latissimus dorsi and biceps. The cable machine provides constant tension, promoting muscle growth and boosting upper-body strength.

This isolation-type movement pattern is advantageous for progressive overload, allowing gradual increases in resistance to enhance strength. By isolating the latissimus dorsi, this exercise improves strength and endurance for pulling movements.

This in turn supports performance in compound exercises like barbell rows and pull-ups. Therefore, developing these muscles helps enhance overall strength and functionality.

Improves Posture

Posture is the alignment and positioning of the body during various activities, with the center of mass playing a crucial role. Poor posture is increasingly prevalent due to extended sitting, sedentary habits, and poor ergonomics.

Key muscles affecting posture include the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and core muscles. These stabilize the spine and maintain proper body alignment. For example, the latissimus dorsi helps keep the shoulders back, supporting better posture in daily tasks and exercises.

Consequently, the standing cable lat pulldown strengthens these muscles, improving alignment and improving posture.

Enhances Muscle Definition

Muscle definition refers to the visible appearance of muscles. Good muscle definitions mean that the muscles are visible when functioning and at rest. Overall muscle mass and composition can play a crucial role in this.

This exercise isolates the latissimus dorsi with other major muscle groups acting as secondary movers. Using this isolation-type movement with the cable machine provides adequate volume and constant tension, which enhances the resistance stimulus. Consequently, this improves muscle engagement and therefore definition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are standing cable lat pulldowns effective?

Yes, standing cable lat pulldowns are effective. They target the major upper back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and posterior deltoids. The exercise helps with overall strength, muscle definition, and stability.

What are the common mistakes for standing cable lat pulldowns?

Common mistakes during the standing cable lat pulldown are using improper form and relying on momentum. Other ones include allowing the shoulders to round and not engaging the core.

How heavy should you go on lat pulldowns?

The correct weight for lat pulldowns depends on your ability level and training goals. Choose a weight that allows proper form and control using your target ranges from the table above.

How often should I do standing cable lat pulldowns?

Performing the standing cable lat pulldown 1–3 times per week is beneficial, depending on your goals. Ensure it fits within your split, allowing adequate recovery between sessions for optimal results. This should be at least 48–72 hours between muscle groups.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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About the Author

JL Pieters, BA Coach & Personal Trainer

JL Pieters is a seasoned professional athlete and coach with a strong foundation in coaching science. His expertise spans both physical training and coaching methodologies, acquired through years of dedicated practice and academic study. JL brings a wealth of experience to his role as an author for a fitness company,.. See more

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