10 Best Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Alternatives for Home and Gym

The Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown is done kneeling with a band. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Band Underhand Pulldown, the Kneeling Single-arm High Pulley Row and the Cable One Arm Pulldown.

Band Kneeling One Arm PulldownWatch the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown

The steps for the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Lats, with biceps, rhomboids · Band · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Attach the band to a sturdy anchor point above your head.
  2. Kneel down and hold the band with one hand, palm facing down.
  3. Extend your arm fully overhead, keeping your elbow slightly bent.
  4. Engage your lat muscles and pull the band down towards your side, bringing your elbow towards your ribcage.
  5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

The 10 Best Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Band Underhand PulldownPlay demonstration

    1. Band Underhand Pulldown

    86% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want to work the lats with less balance to manage.

    • Band
    How to perform it
    1. Attach the band to a high anchor point, such as a pull-up bar or sturdy beam.
    2. Stand facing the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    3. Grasp the band with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Extend your arms fully overhead, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
    5. Engage your lats and pull the band down towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    6. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: lat pulldown, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: a band, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
    • Body position: kneeling, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
  2. Kneeling Single-arm High Pulley Row

    2. Kneeling Single-arm High Pulley Row

    85% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the lats.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Attach a single handle to a high pulley and make your weight selection.
    2. Kneel in front of the cable tower, taking the cable with one hand with your arm extended. This will be your starting position.
    3. Starting with your palm facing forward, pull the weight down to your torso by flexing the elbow and retract the shoulder blade. As you do so, rotate the wrist so that at the completion of the movement, your palm is now facing you.
    4. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: a cable, not a band
    • Body position: kneeling, the same as the Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown

Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown FAQ

What muscles does Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown work?

It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, with secondary activation of the teres major, posterior deltoid, and scapular retractors. You also recruit the obliques and erectors for kneeling stability; cue scapular depression and elbow-driven pulling to maximize lat involvement.

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