Back · Leverage Machine
Lever Cross Lat Pulldown
How to do the lever cross lat pulldown, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Leverage Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the seat and pads so the cross handles start just above your head with your chest tall and shoulders down. Pull the handles down and across toward your upper chest by driving your elbows down and back, then return under control to a full overhead stretch.
- 1A strong lat squeeze under the armpits at the bottom
- 2Elbows driving down and back, not the hands pulling
- 3Mid-back tightening as the handles cross in front
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward your ears
- Leaning way back to turn it into a row
- Yanking with momentum instead of controlling the way up
Muscles worked
The lever cross 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
Kovo programs the lever cross 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 June 2026.