Back · Cable
Kneeling Lat Pulldown
How to do the kneeling lat 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
- Vertical Pull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Attach a bar to the high pulley. Kneel on the ground with arms extended overhead. Pull the bar down to your collarbone, squeezing your lats and bringing elbows to your sides. Control the return to full extension.
- 1Kneel facing the machine and pull the bar down toward your chest, feeling your lats engage as your elbows drive back
- 2Maintain an upright torso and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom
- 3Control the return and keep tension on your back muscles
Common mistakes
- Don't lean backward or use your body weight to yank the bar down
- Avoid pulling with your biceps or flaring your elbows out
- Don't let the bar snap back up; control both directions
Muscles worked
The kneeling lat pulldown mainly works the lats and biceps, with the forearms, lower traps, mid traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kneeling Lat Pulldown strength standards
See how your kneeling lat pulldown ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM95 lb
Silvere1RM137.5 lb
Golde1RM195 lb
Platinume1RM250 lb
Diamonde1RM285 lb
Champione1RM312.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the kneeling lat 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 April 2026.