10 Best Underhand Cable Pulldowns Alternatives for Any Gym

Underhand Cable Pulldowns are done seated with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Close-grip Front Lat Pulldown, the V-bar Pulldown and the Cable Lat Pulldown Full Range Of Motion. Two harder versions, the Cable Wide Grip Rear Pulldown Behind Neck and the Wide-grip Pulldown Behind The Neck, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Underhand Cable Pulldowns

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

How to Do Underhand Cable Pulldowns

The steps for Underhand Cable Pulldowns themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Lats, with biceps, middle back, shoulders · Cable · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
  2. Grab the pull-down bar with the palms facing your torso (a supinated grip). Make sure that the hands are placed closer than the shoulder width.
  3. 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.
  4. As you breathe out, pull the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the fully contracted position and keep the elbows close to your body. The upper torso should remain stationary as your bring the bar to you and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
  5. After a second on the contracted position, while breathing in, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
  6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Underhand Cable Pulldowns Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Underhand Cable Pulldowns 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

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

  1. Close-grip Front Lat Pulldown

    1. Close-grip Front Lat Pulldown

    97% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a close grip.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
    2. Grab the 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.
    3. As you have both arms extended in front of you - while 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.
    4. As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary (only the arms should move). The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull the bar down using the forearms.
    5. After a second in the contracted position, while squeezing your shoulder blades together, slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched. Inhale during this portion of the movement.
    6. 6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: lat pulldown, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Equipment: a cable, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Body position: seated, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
  3. Cable Lat Pulldown Full Range Of MotionPlay demonstration

    3. Cable Lat Pulldown Full Range Of Motion

    96% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a wide grip.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Sit on the lat pulldown machine with your knees positioned under the pads.
    2. Grasp the cable bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Lean back slightly and keep your chest up, maintaining a slight arch in your lower back.
    4. Pull the bar down towards your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the bar back 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
    • Movement: lat pulldown, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Equipment: a cable, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Body position: seated, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
  4. Cable Lateral Pulldown With V-barPlay demonstration

    4. Cable Lateral Pulldown With V-bar

    96% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a neutral grip.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Sit down on the cable pulldown machine and grab the v-bar attachment with an overhand grip.
    2. Adjust the knee pad so that your thighs are secured under it.
    3. Keep your back straight and lean back slightly.
    4. Pull the v-bar down towards your upper chest while keeping your elbows close to your body.
    5. Squeeze your back muscles at the bottom of the movement.
    6. Slowly return the v-bar to the starting position and 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 Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Equipment: a cable, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Body position: seated, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
  7. Cable Wide Grip Rear Pulldown Behind NeckPlay demonstration

    Progression

    7. Cable Wide Grip Rear Pulldown Behind Neck

    95% match

    Lats · Advanced · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the lats.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the cable machine so that the pulldown bar is at a height above your head.
    2. Sit down on the seat and grab the pulldown bar with a wide overhand grip.
    3. Keep your back straight and your chest up as you lean back slightly.
    4. Pull the bar down towards your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the bar back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: lat pulldown, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Equipment: a cable, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns
    • Body position: seated, the same as Underhand Cable Pulldowns

Why You Might Need an Underhand Cable Pulldowns Alternative

People substitute Underhand Cable Pulldowns for several reasons: no cable station, persistent elbow or wrist pain from heavy supination, unwanted biceps takeover, or to break a plateau with new loading angles. Biomechanically, the underhand grip increases biceps contribution and can alter lat long-head tension. Alternatives let you preserve the vertical pulling pattern or switch to horizontal pulls to emphasize mid-back. Use options that limit forearm supination or change shoulder angle to reduce joint stress. Technique cue: set thoracic extension, depress the scapula before each rep, and drive the elbows down to maintain lat activation.

Underhand Cable Pulldowns FAQ

What muscles does Underhand Cable Pulldowns work?

Underhand Cable Pulldowns primarily target the latissimus dorsi while also loading the biceps brachii, teres major, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids. To emphasize the lats, depress the scapula and drive the elbows down and back rather than pulling with the forearms.

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