The alternate lateral pulldown is a cable machine exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi, with secondary emphasis on the bicep and rhomboids. It involves pulling handles towards the chest in an alternating fashion, focusing on back strength and muscle engagement.
Also Works
BicepsRhomboids
How to Perform
1
Sit on the cable machine with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
2
Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3
Lean back slightly and pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4
Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the handles back to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Initiate each pull by depressing the shoulder blade on the working side first, then drive the elbow down and back.
•Lean back only slightly (about 10-15 degrees) to create a better line of pull for the lats.
•Pause at the bottom of each single-arm pull for a full second to eliminate momentum and maximize lat contraction.
Common Mistakes
•Using too much body lean or swinging the torso to assist the pull, which takes work away from the lats.
•Gripping too tightly with the hands and pulling with the biceps instead of driving with the elbows.
•Alternating arms too quickly without fully contracting the lat on each side.