Back · Cable
Cable Cross Over Lateral Pulldown
How to do the cable cross over lateral pulldown, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand between two high pulleys and grip a handle in each hand with your arms extended overhead and slightly out. Pull both handles down and out to your sides in an arc until your elbows reach your ribs, squeezing your lats, then return under control.
- 1Feel your lats pulling your arms down and into your sides
- 2Keep a slight bend in your elbows through the arc
- 3Squeeze your lats hard at the bottom of the pull
Common mistakes
- Don't bend your elbows to turn it into a triceps press
- Avoid shrugging or hunching your shoulders
- Don't let the cables snap your arms back up
Muscles worked
The cable cross over lateral pulldown mainly works the lats, with the mid traps, lower traps, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- TricepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the cable cross over lateral pulldown for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.