The cable pullover is a lat train that’s surged in reputation not too long ago.

There are two causes for this.

First, it entails bringing your arms in an arc from overhead to your sides in opposition to resistance, which trains your again in a manner that few different workouts can replicate.

Second, in contrast to different again workouts, it trains your lats via their full vary of movement and in a totally stretched place, which promotes muscle development.

In different phrases, the cable pullover is uniquely efficient in coaching the lats and a really perfect train for again improvement.

On this article, you’ll study what the cable pullover is, its advantages, which muscle tissue it really works, tips on how to do it with correct type, one of the best cable pullover options, and extra.

What Is a Cable Pullover?

The cable pullover (additionally referred to as the “cable lat pullover” or “lat prayer”) is a lat isolation train carried out utilizing a cable machine.

To carry out the cable pullover, grip a deal with hooked up to a excessive cable pulley, take a number of steps backward till your arms are stretched overhead and your higher physique is leaning ahead, then pull the deal with in an arc towards your toes till your palms contact your thighs.

You need to use a number of totally different handles to carry out the cable pullover, together with the rope deal with, straight bar, and EZ bar. For this reason individuals usually seek advice from the cable pullover because the “cable rope pullover,” “straight bar cable pullover,” and so forth.

Whereas every deal with has advantages, the cable rope pullover is the commonest variation (and the one we’ll give attention to within the article).

Cable Rope Pullover vs. Straight-Bar Cable Pullover

Most individuals want the cable rope pullover over the straight-bar cable pullover as a result of the rope permits a higher vary of movement in comparison with the bar.

When performing the cable pullover with a bar, it’s important to cease every rep when the bar touches your thighs, though you would probably pull the burden a number of inches additional with out discomfort.

In distinction, the rope deal with permits your palms to move your thighs and prolong behind your physique. That is vital as a result of coaching your muscle tissue via an extended vary of movement typically results in extra muscle development than coaching via a shorter vary of movement.

That mentioned, some weightlifters want the straight bar to the rope deal with as a result of its rigidity will increase the steadiness of the train, permitting you to focus much less on the way you’re performing the train, and extra on the muscle tissue you’re making an attempt to coach, which could support muscle development in some situations.

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Cable Pullover: Advantages

The lats’ fundamental capabilities are shoulder adduction (pulling your higher arms to your sides), inner rotation (rotating your higher arms so your biceps contact your torso), and shoulder extension (bringing your arms in an arc from overhead, previous your sides till they’re behind you).

Whereas most again workouts, together with the barbell, dumbbell, and cable row, practice shoulder extension to a small diploma, they emphasize scapular retraction (squeezing your shoulder blades collectively). 

This implies they’re simpler for coaching your upper-back muscle tissue—your traps, rhomboids, and rear delts—however not pretty much as good in your lats.

Nonetheless, the cable pullover is exclusive in that it minimizes scapular retraction and emphasizes shoulder extension, making it simpler for coaching your lats. 

Furthermore, it trains your lats in a totally stretched place and thru an extended vary of movement than most different again workouts. That is vital as a result of analysis exhibits that coaching your muscle tissue at lengthy lengths and thru a full vary of movement boosts muscle development.

In different phrases, the cable pullover works your lats otherwise from most workouts, making it supreme for rounding out your again improvement.

Cable Pullover: Muscular tissues Labored

The primary muscle tissue labored by the cable pullover train are the . . .

It additionally trains your pecs to a lesser diploma, too.

Right here’s how the principle muscle tissue labored by the cable pullover look in your physique:



cable lat pullover



Cable Pullover: Kind

One of the best ways to discover ways to do the cable pullover is to separate the train into three elements: arrange, pullover, prolong.


pullover machine


1. Arrange

Set the pulley to the best place on a cable machine and fix the rope deal with. Maintain one finish of the rope in every hand, and step away from the pulley till you’re feeling stress within the cable.

Lean ahead till your physique makes a 45-degree angle with the ground and your arms are practically straight, reaching overhead. Then, set your toes shoulder-width aside and bend your knees somewhat.

2. Pullover

Maintain a small bend in your elbows and pull the rope in an arc towards your toes. Proceed pulling till your palms are by your thighs or somewhat previous them.

3. Prolong

Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place. It is a mirror picture of what you probably did in the course of the pullover.

As you attain the highest of the rep, it’s best to really feel a stretch in your lats, slightly below your armpit. 

Don’t let the burden jerk your arms again to the beginning or prolong your arm too slowly. The whole “extension” needs to be managed however solely final a second.

Right here’s the way it ought to look while you put all of it collectively:



kneeling straight arm cable pullover



The Finest Cable Pullover Options

1. Kneeling Cable Pullover


kneeling cable pullover


The kneeling cable pullover (typically known as the “kneeling straight-arm cable pullover”) is sort of similar to the common standing cable pullover. The one distinction is that you just’re kneeling, not standing in the course of the train, which some individuals discover provides higher help.

2. Dumbbell Pullover


lat cable pullover


The dumbbell pullover is an efficient various to the cable pullover should you don’t have entry to a cable machine (should you practice at dwelling or whereas touring, for instance). Keep in mind, nonetheless, the cable pullover has a considerably longer vary of movement than the dumbbell variation, which probably makes it superior for coaching your lats.

3. Machine Pullover


cable pullover exercise


A draw back to the cable pullover is that controlling the train can get tough when the weights turn into heavy. The pullover machine is a useful workaround on this situation, because it offers further stability and makes lifting heavy weights via a full vary of movement safer and extra sensible.