V-Bar Pulldown

LatsCableIntermediateCompound
V-Bar Pulldown — start position
Start
V-Bar Pulldown — finish position
Finish
Muscles worked
PrimaryLats
SecondaryBiceps, Mid back, Shoulders

How to do it

  1. 01

    Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.

  2. 02

    Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.

  3. 03

    Grab the V-bar with the palms facing each other (a neutral grip). Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly (around 30-degrees) in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.

  4. 04

    Using your lats, pull the bar down as you squeeze your shoulder blades. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion. Tip: Keep the torso stationary throughout the movement.

  5. 05

    After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.

  6. 06

    Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

In the app

V-Bar Pulldown appears when you own a cable stack and the day's window has room for it. Loads come from Rule 3 (Loads rise when earned, read from RPE, graded strong) and climb on the reps you actually did.

If a machine is taken the engine swaps a same-pattern movement and says why.

If you don't have a cable stack

Same movement pattern, same primary muscles — swap by what you have.

With bodyweight
With cable
With bands

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