Band Lat Pulldown (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)
Band Lat Pulldown is a simple exercise that uses a resistance band in place of a cable pulley machine to do Lat Pulldowns. If you don’t have a cable machine, Band Lat Pulldowns can work as a quality substitute.
In this guide, I will teach you how to do Band Lat Pulldowns including important coaching points, muscles worked and a few alternatives.
How To Do Band Lat Pulldowns
Equipment Needed
- Resistance Band
- A Pull-up Bar (or equivalent) to anchor the band
How To
- Take a resistance band* and loop it around a pull-up bar.
- Grab the band with a shoulder-width grip and sit on a bench or assume a kneeling position below the bar.
- Very slightly lean back and then row the band to the top of the chest.
- Try to pull the band apart slightly as you pull it down.
- Control the band back to the starting position and repeat.
Coaching Points
Depending on the size and number of bands you have, looping two bands around the bar – one for each hand – can be a very good option as well.
How Many Reps?
This will be very dependent on the strength and thickness of the band you use. Band Lat Pulldowns are more of a hypertrophy exercise than a strength-building one, so I suggest to rep until you feel a nice burn set in. Will most likely be in the 10 to 20 rep range.
Band Lat Pulldown Alternatives
Don’t have a resistance band? Want to add some variety to your workouts? Whatever the reason, here are a few exercises you might be able to try out if you’re looking for a replacement for Band Lat Pulldowns.
Pull-Ups
If you have a pull-up bar to loop the resistance band around, then means Pull-ups can (and should) be an option. I incorporate some form of pull-ups at least once a week with athletes year-round because I believe is the most beneficial upper-body exercise you can do.
If you’re not quite able to do pull-ups yet, use that resistance band for assistance. Loop it around the bar just as with Band Lat Pulldowns, pull it down under one knee and that band will provide you a little extra boost that may be all you need to start doing pull-ups.
Dumbbell One Arm Row
If you don’t have a resistance band (or perhaps a pull-up bar), Dumbbell One Arm Rows could be a good alternative.
It’s a horizontal rowing exercise and not a vertical rowing exercise, but I wouldn’t get too caught up in that. If you have dumbbells, One Arm Rows are an excellent exercise for developing a strong back.
More Links and Info
If you’d like to see more upper body exercises then head over to the Upper Body Lifts section of our Exercise Library. There you’ll find dozens of chest, back and shoulder exercises – all with step-by-step instructions.
