Back · Cable
Cable Rear Pulldown
How to do the cable rear 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
- Compound
How to do it
Set a high cable pulley with a wide bar and sit or kneel facing the stack. Grip the bar wider than shoulder width and pull it down behind your neck toward the base of your skull, driving your elbows down and back. Control the bar back up to a full stretch and repeat.
- 1Lats and middle traps pulling the elbows down and in
- 2Shoulder blades drawing down toward your spine
- 3A full stretch through the lats at the top
Common mistakes
- Yanking the bar with your arms instead of your back
- Forcing the bar too low behind the neck and straining the shoulders
- Shrugging your traps up toward your ears as you pull
Muscles worked
The cable rear pulldown mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, rear delts, forearms, and lower traps assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the cable rear 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.