10 Best Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown Alternatives for Home Gyms

The Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown is done seated with a lever machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Wide Grip Pull-up, the Wide-grip Rear Pull-up and the One Arm Chin-up.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown

Primary muscle
Lats
Equipment
Lever
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Biceps, Rhomboids, Rear Deltoids

How to perform Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Grasp the handle with an overhand grip and fully extend your arm, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
  3. Pull the handle down and across your body towards your opposite hip, squeezing your lat muscle at the bottom of the movement.
  4. Slowly return the handle to the starting position, fully extending your arm.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
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Ranked Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Wide-grip Rear Pull-up
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
    2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
    3. Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
    4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
    5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Reach up and grab the bar with an underhand grip, with one hand gripping the bar and the other hand holding your wrist for support.
    3. Hang from the bar with your arm fully extended, keeping your body straight and your core engaged.
    4. Pull yourself up towards the bar by bending your elbow and squeezing your back muscles.
    5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms and repeat.

    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 Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Position yourself under a bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that is at chest height.
    2. Grab the bar or surface with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Pull your chest towards the bar or surface by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bending your elbows.
    5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or surface.
    6. Lower yourself back down to the starting position with control.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
  2. 6. Pull-up

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
    2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the bar.
    4. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
  3. Pullups

    7. Pullups

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
    2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
    3. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
    4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
    5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand in front of a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing away from you.
    2. Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades down and back.
    3. As you pull yourself up, bend one arm and bring your elbow towards your side, while keeping the other arm straight.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar and your bent arm is fully flexed.
    5. Lower yourself back down with control, straightening the bent arm and repeating the movement on the other side.
    6. Alternate sides with each repetition.

    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 Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown

Why You Might Need a Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown Alternative

You may need substitutes because the lever machine isn't available, you have shoulder pain with the lever path, or you want a different loading pattern for growth. Alternatives let you vary humeral adduction and scapular control while maintaining lat activation. For rehab, choose chest-supported rows to reduce spinal load and cue scapular retraction before each pull. For strength, pick heavier single-arm rows or wide pull-ups and emphasize an elbow-driven pull to maximize lat recruitment and minimize biceps dominance.

Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown FAQ

What muscles does Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown work?

It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi with secondary work from the teres major, posterior deltoid, and long head of the triceps. The exercise drives humeral adduction and extension while the scapula depresses and retracts to stabilize the shoulder girdle.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lever One Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown?

Wide-grip pull-ups are the best bodyweight substitute for lat emphasis; initiate each rep by depressing and retracting the scapula and drive the elbow down and back. If you can't do full pull-ups, use band-assisted wide pull-ups or Australian (inverted) wide rows to replicate the lat-driven pulling pattern.

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