10 Best Underhand Cable Pulldowns Alternatives for Any Gym

If you can’t do Underhand Cable Pulldowns, replace them with vertical pulls and heavy rows that reproduce the elbow-down, scapular-depressed pattern. Try chin-ups, neutral-grip pulldowns, single-arm dumbbell rows, close-grip seated rows, or bent-over barbell rows. Cue: retract your scapula, lead with the elbows, and pull them to your ribs.

Original Exercise: Underhand Cable Pulldowns

Underhand Cable Pulldowns
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Middle Back, Shoulders
How to Perform Underhand Cable Pulldowns
  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.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Underhand Cable Pulldowns Alternatives

Best Match
Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

1. Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

97.4% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
V-Bar Pulldown

2. V-Bar Pulldown

97.4% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.
  2. 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.
  3. Grab the V-bar with the palms facing each other (a neutral grip). Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly (around 30-degrees) in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
  4. Using your lats, pull the bar down as you squeeze your shoulder blades. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion. Tip: Keep the torso stationary throughout the movement.
  5. After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.
Cable Lat Pulldown Full Range Of Motion

3. Cable Lat Pulldown Full Range Of Motion

96% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Cable Lateral Pulldown With V-bar

4. Cable Lateral Pulldown With V-bar

96% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown

5. Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown

96% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Either standing or seated on a high bench, grasp two stirrup cables that are attached to the high pulleys. Grab with the opposing hand so your arms are crisscrossed about you and your palms are facing forward.
  2. Keeping your chest up and maintaining a slight arch in your lower back, pull the handles down as if you were doing a regular pulldown. The range of motion will be more of an arc. During the movement, rotate your hands so that in the bottom position your palms face each other rather than forward. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat.
Twin Handle Parallel Grip Lat Pulldown

6. Twin Handle Parallel Grip Lat Pulldown

96% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself facing the cable machine.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Sit down and position your thighs under the thigh pads, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
  4. Lean back slightly and keep your chest up, maintaining a neutral spine.
  5. Pull the handles down towards your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Cable Wide Grip Rear Pulldown Behind Neck

7. Cable Wide Grip Rear Pulldown Behind Neck

95.4% Match
Lats Cable Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

8. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

95.4% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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 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 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 and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
  5. After a second at the contracted position 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.
Cable Underhand Pulldown

9. Cable Underhand Pulldown

95% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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 an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your back straight and lean back slightly.
  4. Pull the bar down towards your 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.
Wide-Grip Pulldown Behind The Neck

10. Wide-Grip Pulldown Behind The Neck

94.9% Match
Lats Cable Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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 holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso and head forward. Think of an imaginary line from the center of the bar down to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
  4. As you breathe out, bring the bar down until it touches the back of your neck 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 and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the bar; therefore do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
  5. After a second on the contracted position 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.

Why You Might Need a 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.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to the movement plane, equipment, and injury history. Choose vertical pulls (chin-ups, neutral-grip pulldowns) to preserve long-axis lat stretch and vertical elbow path; pick horizontal rows (seated cable row, single-arm DB row) to build thickness and control scapular retraction. Consider grip: neutral reduces biceps involvement, supinated increases it. Also prioritize progressive overload, use added weight, slow eccentrics, or paused reps. Technique cue: initiate each rep by depressing the scapula, then pull elbows toward the hips while keeping the wrist neutral to maximize lat recruitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Underhand Cable Pulldowns?

The best bodyweight alternative is the underhand (chin) pull-up, which preserves the vertical pulling path and strong lat activation. Use a close underhand grip, lead with your elbows, pull your chest to the bar, and squeeze the lats at the top; regress with negatives if you cannot complete full reps.

Can I build muscle without doing Underhand Cable Pulldowns?

Yes. You can build lat muscle with pull-ups, neutral-grip pulldowns, single-arm rows, and heavy horizontal rows using progressive overload and full-range reps. Focus on scapular depression, controlled eccentric tempo, and driving the elbow to the ribcage to ensure consistent lat recruitment.

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