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Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Strength Standards

Quick Answer Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown of 207 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 272 lbs (1.51x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

Competition-Verified

How strong is your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Biceps, Forearms, Latissimus Dorsi, Middle Back
Equipment Lat Pulldown Machine
Data Points 71 rows

How Strong Is Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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How Much Should You Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 53 86 129 181 239
120 61 96 141 196 256
130 68 106 153 210 272
140 76 115 165 223 287
150 84 124 176 236 302
160 91 133 186 248 316
170 98 142 197 260 329
180 105 151 207 272 342
190 112 159 216 283 354
200 119 167 226 293 366
210 126 175 235 304 378
220 132 182 243 314 389
230 138 190 252 323 400
240 145 197 260 333 410
250 151 204 269 342 420
260 157 211 276 351 430
270 162 218 284 360 440
280 168 224 292 368 449
290 174 231 299 376 458
300 179 237 306 384 467
310 185 243 313 392 476

How Does Age Affect Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Strength?

How Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 78 118 168 228 293
20 89 135 193 260 335
25 92 138 198 267 344
30 92 138 198 267 344
35 92 138 198 267 344
40 92 138 198 267 344
45 87 131 187 254 326
50 82 123 176 238 306
55 76 114 163 220 283
60 69 104 149 201 258
65 62 94 134 181 233
70 56 84 120 163 209
75 50 75 108 146 187
80 45 67 96 130 167
85 40 60 86 117 150
90 36 55 78 105 135

What Do Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

  1. Set up the lat pulldown machine with an appropriate weight.
  2. Sit down on the machine and secure your thighs under the pad.
  3. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you), shoulder-width apart.
  4. Lean slightly back and pull the bar down towards your chest while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.
  6. Slowly return the bar to the starting position with controlled motion.
  7. Breathe out as you pull the bar down and breathe in as you release it back up.

Tips for Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown

  • Maintain a slight arch in your lower back throughout the exercise.
  • Avoid using momentum by keeping your movements controlled.
  • Keep your chest up and shoulders back to engage the correct muscles.
  • Adjust the weight to ensure you can complete the exercise with proper form.

Where Do These Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Standards Come From?

These Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE