Alternating Lat Pulldown
In SetGrip: Lat Pulldown (Alternating)
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Rhomboids
- Body part
- Back
- Laterality
- Alternating sides
- Category
- Strength
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Instead of both arms pulling together, you work one handle at a time while the other holds tension up top, so each lat completes its own full stroke under load. Reach for it over the standard Lat Pulldown when one side keeps finishing reps with extra body English or visibly lags behind the other.
How to do the Alternating Lat Pulldown
- Sit on the cable machine with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lean back slightly and pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the handles back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Pull the elbows toward your hips, not the bar toward your chin.
Muscles worked
Primary
Lats · Back
The lats pull the upper arm down and in, and you should feel a stretch at the top of the rep and a squeeze at the bottom along the sides of the back.
Secondary
- Biceps — The biceps bend the elbow and take a bigger share with an underhand grip; if they tire before the lats, widen the grip or use a neutral handle.
- Rhomboids
Common mistakes
- Rowing the bar — a slight lean is fine but if the torso swings past 30 degrees you are rowing, not pulling down; sit tall and let the elbows travel straight down.
- Pulling behind the neck by accident — unless you are deliberately training the behind-the-neck version light with good shoulder mobility, bring the bar to the top of the chest and no further.
- Starting with the arms — initiate by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears, then let the elbows follow.
- Stack slamming on the return — control the bar all the way back up until the arms are straight and the lats are stretched.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 6–12 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 12–20 | 60 s |
Pulldowns go after pull-ups or as the main vertical pull if you cannot do pull-ups yet. Superset with a straight arm pulldown or cable row on the same stack.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without cable
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Alternating Lat Pulldown work?
The Alternating Lat Pulldown primarily works the lats. It also involves the biceps and rhomboids, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Alternating Lat Pulldown good for beginners?
Yes. The Alternating Lat Pulldown is rated beginner: it uses a cable and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Alternating Lat Pulldown?
If you cannot do the Alternating Lat Pulldown, try the Kneeling Single Arm Banded Lat Pulldown, the Lat Pulldown or the Behind Neck Lat Pulldown. Each of them trains the lats through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Alternating Lat Pulldown, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.
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