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Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown strength standards

What is a good Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown is about 207 lb (1.15x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 272 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

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

The Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Standards by Age

How the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

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

The Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 207 lbs (1.15x bodyweight) on the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

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

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

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

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 progress with the one rep max calculator →
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

Primary Muscles Biceps, Forearms, Latissimus Dorsi, Middle Back
Equipment Lat Pulldown Machine
  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

  • 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?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.