Cable Rear Pulldown
Cable Rear Pulldown pairs unbroken cable tension with strength you can feel outside the gym — demanding enough to sit early in a session.
How to do Cable Rear Pulldown
- Adjust the cable machine so that the pulley is at the highest position.
- Sit facing the machine with your feet flat on the ground and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the cable attachment with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
- Pull the cable attachment down towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly release the cable back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Rear Pulldown Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Common Cable Rear Pulldown Mistakes
Letting the stack touch down between reps
Stop just short of the stack so tension never resets.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Stacking hard sessions with no lighter week in sight
Plan a reduced-volume week roughly every fourth week.
Easier and Harder Than Cable Rear Pulldown
Swap Cable Rear Pulldown For
Cable Rear Pulldown — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Cable Rear Pulldown?
Adjust the cable machine so that the pulley is at the highest position. Sit facing the machine with your feet flat on the ground and your knees slightly bent. Grasp the cable attachment with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Cable Rear Pulldown work?
The Cable Rear Pulldown primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Cable Rear Pulldown should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Cable Rear Pulldown good for beginners?
Not usually. The Cable Rear Pulldown is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier back progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Cable Rear Pulldown?
Try the One Arm Chin-up, Weighted Muscle Up or the Assisted Standing Chin-up. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
