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Lat pulldown alternatives for when the machine is taken or you train at home

Published October 23, 2026

The best lat pulldown alternative is the assisted pull-up machine: the same pull from overhead, with a pin that sets the load. With a pull-up bar, do pull-ups or chin-ups, adding a band if you need help. With dumbbells only, the dumbbell pullover is the one lift that loads your lats from overhead, and a one-arm row with your elbow driving to your hip covers the rest.

What a lat pulldown alternative has to replace

The lat pulldown trains your lats, with your upper back, rear delts and biceps helping. It loads them hardest from a full stretch with your arms overhead down to your elbows at your sides. The stack lets you set any weight, which is why it suits beginners who cannot do a pull-up yet.

A replacement should pull your elbows down or back toward your hips against a load you can control, ideally from your arms overhead.

How to do the lat pulldown

Other machines and cables in the gym

When the pulldown is taken or missing, another station gets you the same pull: the assisted machine from overhead, or a cable with your elbows driving to your hips.

Closest machine swap

Assisted Pull-Up

Lats

The assisted pull-up machine is a pulldown turned upside down: same overhead pull, same overhand grip, and a pin that sets how much of your bodyweight you lift. Set it so your usual pulldown reps leave 1 to 2 in the tank.

How to do it

  1. Set the machine's assistance, step onto the platform or kneel on the pad, and take the handles overhead with your palms facing away.
  2. Hang with your arms straight and your shoulders pulled slightly down.
  3. Pull your chest toward the handles until your chin passes them, driving your elbows down to your sides.
  4. Lower all the way back to straight arms under control, then repeat.

Cues

  • Shoulders down before you pull
  • Chin over the handles
  • All the way down each rep

Common mistakes

  • Choosing so much assistance that you could do 20 easy reps: set it so 6 to 10 reps leaves 1 to 2 in reserve.
  • Stopping with bent arms at the bottom: a full hang between reps is what builds the strength for a real pull-up.
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Lats only on any high pulley

Straight-Arm Pulldown

Lats

Any high cable will do, so it works when the pulldown seat is taken. Your arms stay straight, so the lats do all the work, though you will use far less weight than on a pulldown.

How to do it

  1. Set a straight bar on the high pulley and stand a step or two back, feet about hip width.
  2. Take the bar with straight arms at about shoulder height, tip your chest a little forward from the hips and feel the stretch under your armpits.
  3. Lock in a small bend at the elbows, tuck your ribs down and keep your chest still.
  4. Sweep your hands down in an arc until they reach your thighs, squeezing your armpits toward your sides.
  5. Let the bar rise back along the same arc under control until your arms are at shoulder height again.

Cues

  • Long arms, soft elbows
  • Hands to pockets
  • Ribs down, chest still

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to push the bar down: that turns it into a triceps pushdown; lighten the stack and keep the elbow angle fixed.
  • Rocking the torso to finish the rep: keep your hip angle the same from top to bottom so the lats, not your body weight, move the cable.
  • Cutting the top short: let your arms travel back up until you feel the stretch, since that is the part the lats work hardest in.
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Lat row on the seated row station

Reverse-Grip Cable Row

Lats

Palms up and the bar pulled to your waist drives your elbows down to your hips, the same path the lats work through on a pulldown. Pick it when overhead pulls bother your shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Hook a straight bar onto the row station's pulley, sit on the bench with feet braced, and hold the bar with palms up at shoulder width.
  2. Sit tall with arms straight and knees softly bent.
  3. Pull the bar to your lower stomach, elbows brushing your sides, until they pass your torso.
  4. Return slowly to straight arms without leaning forward.

Cues

  • Palms up, elbows in
  • Bar to your waistband
  • Two seconds forward

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the bar high to your chest: aim lower so the elbows travel to the hips.
  • Leaning back hard at the end: if you need to swing, the stack is too heavy.
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Pull-up bar

A pull-up is a pulldown where the weight is your body. Pick the grip and the help that let you get the reps you want.

The free-weight version of the pulldown

Pull-Up

Lats

If you can do several clean reps, the pull-up trains everything the pulldown does with nothing but a bar. Your trunk has to stay still too.

How to do it

  1. Take the bar overhand with your hands a little wider than your shoulders and your thumbs wrapped around it.
  2. Hang with your arms fully straight, legs together and slightly in front of you, and squeeze your glutes so your body stays still.
  3. Before your elbows bend, draw your shoulders down and away from your ears.
  4. Drive your elbows down toward your ribs until your chin is over the bar and your chest is close to it.
  5. Lower yourself over about two seconds until your arms are straight again, then start the next rep from a dead stop.

Cues

  • Shoulders down, then elbows down
  • Chest to the bar, not chin poking up
  • Dead stop at the bottom, every rep

Common mistakes

  • Stopping short of straight arms at the bottom: half reps hide how many you can really do, so count only reps that start from a full hang.
  • Kicking or swinging to finish a rep: keep your legs together and still, and end the set when you need momentum.
  • Craning your neck to reach the bar with your chin: keep your head neutral and pull your chest up instead.
  • Dropping fast on the way down: the lowering half trains your lats too, so take about two seconds on every rep.
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Easier grip on the same bar

Chin-Up

Lats

Palms toward you puts your biceps in to help, so most people get more reps than with pull-ups. Use it when pull-ups are still too hard for the reps you want.

How to do it

  1. Take the bar with your palms facing you, hands about shoulder-width apart, thumbs wrapped around it.
  2. Hang with your arms fully straight, legs still and slightly bent or crossed behind you.
  3. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears before your elbows start to bend.
  4. Drive your elbows down to your sides until your chin is over the bar and your chest is near it.
  5. Take about two seconds to lower back to straight arms, then begin the next rep from a dead stop.

Cues

  • Shoulders down, then elbows to your sides
  • Chest up to the bar
  • Straight arms between every rep

Common mistakes

  • Stopping with bent elbows at the bottom: only count reps that start from a full hang, or your rep count hides how strong you are.
  • Shrugging up into your ears at the top: keep your shoulders pulled down so your lats finish the rep, not your neck.
  • Kicking or swinging for the last reps: keep your legs still and end the set when you need momentum.
  • Dropping out of the top: the lowering half trains your biceps and lats too, so take two seconds every rep.
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Shoulder-friendly bar swap

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

Lats

Palms facing each other on parallel handles is the bodyweight match for a neutral-grip pulldown, and an easier shoulder position for many lifters.

How to do it

  1. Take the narrow parallel handles, palms turned in and hands close together, and hang with your arms straight.
  2. Draw your shoulder blades down, then pull your elbows straight down beside your body.
  3. Rise until your chin passes the handles and your upper chest nearly touches them.
  4. Lower slowly to a full hang and repeat.

Cues

  • Elbows close to your ribs
  • Lead with the chest
  • Full hang at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Pulling your knees up toward your chest to help: keep your legs still, slightly bent or crossed behind you.
  • Rushing the lowering: take two seconds down so the lats work on every inch of the rep.
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Pull-up bar plus a band

Band-Assisted Pull-Up

Lats

A band looped on the bar helps you at the bottom of each pull-up, so you can do the reps you would do on a pulldown. Use a thicker band for more help and a thinner one as you get stronger.

How to do it

  1. Wrap a loop band over the bar and feed it through itself so it is anchored.
  2. Grab the bar overhand, then place one foot or knee into the hanging loop.
  3. Hang with straight arms, band stretched under you.
  4. Pull until your chin passes the bar, then lower slowly back to straight arms.
  5. Step out of the band carefully after the last rep.

Cues

  • Band under one foot or knee
  • Same form as a real pull-up
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing out of the bottom on the band: the stretch shoots you up and your back does little. Pause for a second at the bottom.
  • Staying on the same band for months: move to a thinner band once you hit 10 clean reps.
Build a session with Band-Assisted Pull-Up

Dumbbells, no bar

Dumbbells cannot copy a pull from overhead, except for the pullover. Rows with your elbows tucked toward your hips cover the rest.

Best dumbbell swap from overhead

Dumbbell Lat Pullover

Lats

The only dumbbell lift that trains your lats from the arms-overhead position a pulldown starts in. Lying along a flat bench, you pull one dumbbell from behind your head to over your chest.

How to do it

  1. Lie lengthwise on a flat bench with your head near one end and your feet flat on the floor, or lie flat on the floor with your knees bent.
  2. Cup one dumbbell with both hands under the top plate and hold it straight over your chest.
  3. Soften your elbows, lock that bend in place, and pull your ribs down toward your hips.
  4. Let the dumbbell travel back behind your head in a wide arc until your upper arms are level with your torso, or until it nears the floor if you are lying down.
  5. Drive your upper arms back toward your hips along the same arc until the dumbbell is over your chest again, then start the next rep.

Cues

  • Ribs down, no arching
  • Pull with your armpits
  • Stop when upper arms line up with your torso

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows more as the dumbbell goes back, which turns it into a triceps extension: fix the elbow angle and lighten the load.
  • Letting your ribcage flare to go deeper: brace your abs and stop at the point where your back wants to arch.
  • Bringing the dumbbell all the way up until it sits over your face: stop when it reaches your chest line, where the lats still have work to do, and go straight into the next rep.
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Heaviest dumbbell swap

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

A row instead of a pull-down, but driving your elbow to your hip with one hand on a bench trains the same lats hard. It is the back lift you can load the most with dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Stand next to a flat bench, brace your left shin and left palm on it, and step your right foot back and out for balance.
  2. Pick up the dumbbell with your right hand and let it hang straight below your shoulder, back flat and roughly level with the floor.
  3. Pull your elbow back and up toward your hip, brushing it past your ribs, until the dumbbell reaches your lower ribs.
  4. Pause for a beat with your shoulder blade pulled back, without twisting your chest toward the ceiling.
  5. Lower the dumbbell slowly until your arm is straight and your shoulder blade drifts forward, then row again. Finish the set, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your back pocket
  • Hand is just a hook
  • Chest stays square to the floor

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your torso open to heave the weight up: keep your shoulders level with the bench and lighten the dumbbell if you need to rotate to finish.
  • Pulling the dumbbell straight up to your chest with the elbow flared: aim the elbow toward your hip for more lat and less upper trap.
  • Stopping short at the bottom: let the arm straighten and the shoulder blade move forward each rep so your back works through its full range.
Build a session with One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Dumbbells and a bench, back supported

Incline Dumbbell Row

Upper Back, Lats

Chest down on an incline bench, you row two dumbbells with nothing to brace. Tuck your elbows and pull toward your hips to keep the work on the lats.

How to do it

  1. Set an adjustable bench to about 30–45 degrees and put a pair of dumbbells on the floor at its front end.
  2. Lie face down with your chest high on the pad, plant your feet or toes on the floor behind you, and pick up the dumbbells.
  3. Let your arms hang straight down with an overhand grip, palms facing behind you, and let your shoulder blades spread apart.
  4. Drive your elbows back past your torso until the dumbbells reach your lower ribs, pinching your shoulder blades without lifting your chest off the bench.
  5. Lower the weights slowly until your arms are straight and your shoulder blades are stretched apart, then pull again.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Lead with the elbows
  • Reach long at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your chest off the bench to finish the rep: that brings back the momentum the bench is there to remove; use lighter dumbbells so you can finish with your chest down.
  • Shrugging the dumbbells up toward your ears: keep the shoulders down and pull your elbows back toward your hips.
  • Cutting the stretch short: let your shoulder blades slide apart at the bottom of every rep so the upper back works through its full range.
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Bodyweight rows and bands

No bar to hang from and no dumbbells: row your body under a bar in a rack, or row a band.

Bodyweight swap in a rack

Inverted Row

Upper Back, Lats

Under a bar at hip height, you pull your chest to it with your feet on the floor. Easier than a pull-up, so good for beginners who used a light pulldown.

How to do it

  1. Set a bar in a rack or Smith machine at about hip height and lock it in place.
  2. Sit under it, take an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulders, and hang with straight arms.
  3. Walk your feet out until your heels rest on the floor, then squeeze your glutes so your body forms one straight line.
  4. Pull your shoulder blades back, then drive your elbows past your ribs until your lower chest touches the bar.
  5. Lower under control until your arms are fully straight, keeping your hips level the whole way.

Cues

  • Body straight from heels to head
  • Chest to the bar
  • Shoulder blades squeeze at the top

Common mistakes

  • Letting your hips sag: squeeze your glutes and brace so your body stays straight.
  • Stopping short of the bar: raise the bar or bend your knees until you can touch it on every rep.
  • Reaching your chin toward the bar: keep your neck long and lead with your chest, or the last inches come from your head instead of your back.
  • Dropping out of the bottom: lower yourself slowly to straight arms, since a bounce takes the stretch out of your upper back.
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Swap with only a band

Band Bent-Over Row

Lats, Upper Back

Stand on a band, hinge and row. With your elbows tucked and pulling to your hips, the lats get most of the work.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a long band with your feet hip-width apart and hold an end in each hand.
  2. Hinge forward from the hips with soft knees until your torso is at about 45 degrees, back flat.
  3. Row both handles toward your lower ribs, elbows close, and pause with your shoulder blades pulled together.
  4. Let the band pull your arms back to straight slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Hold the squeeze for a second
  • Slow on the way back
  • Shorten your grip to add tension

Common mistakes

  • Letting the band snap your arms back down: resist it all the way, because the lowering counts.
  • Using a band so light the set never gets close to failure: choke up on the band or switch to a heavier one.
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Example sessions without the lat pulldown

Session 1

Gym, pulldown taken

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentAssisted Machine, Cable Row, Lat Pulldown

You train in a gym where the lat pulldown is busy, broken or missing.

The assisted pull-up takes the pulldown's place at the same reps, because it is the same pull from overhead. A palms-up cable row and a straight-arm pulldown then train the lats from two more angles. 11 working sets.

Back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Assisted Pull-Up1 warm-up set first 4 × 8–12 2 2 min
Reverse-Grip Cable Row 4 × 10–12 2 90 s
Straight-Arm Pulldown 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Once or twice a week as your back session or the pull half of an upper day.
How to progress
On the assisted pull-up, when all sets reach 12 reps, lower the assistance by one step. On the cable lifts, add a plate when every set reaches the top of its range.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, dumbbells and a bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Incline Bench

You have dumbbells and an adjustable bench at home but nothing to hang from.

The one-arm row is your heavy lat lift, the pullover covers the overhead stretch a pulldown gives, and the incline row adds volume with your back supported. Higher reps and shorter rests make home dumbbells hard enough. 11 working sets.

Back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstElbow to your hip. Per arm. 4 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Lat Pullover 4 × 10–15 1 75 s
Incline Dumbbell Row 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week on non-consecutive days.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then go up a dumbbell. At your heaviest pair, slow the lowering to three seconds.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Home, a pull-up bar and a band

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Resistance Bands

You have a doorway or wall-mounted pull-up bar and a loop band, and can already do a few pull-ups.

Pull-ups do the pulldown's job with your bodyweight, chin-ups add reps with the easier grip, and band-assisted pull-ups finish with higher reps once your unassisted reps run out. Rest runs long, since every rep lifts your whole body. 10 working sets.

Back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pull-Up 4 × 3–8 2 2:30 min
Chin-Up 3 × 4–10 1 2 min
Band-Assisted Pull-Up 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
How to run it
Two or three times a week, never on back-to-back days.
How to progress
Add a rep per set each week on pull-ups and chin-ups. When you can do 10 pull-ups on every set, slow the lowering to four seconds or move to archer pull-ups.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What can I do instead of lat pulldowns?

Assisted pull-ups, pull-ups or chin-ups train the same pull from overhead. With dumbbells, do pullovers and one-arm rows; with a cable row station, a palms-up row to your waist.

How can I mimic a lat pulldown with dumbbells?

The dumbbell pullover is the closest: lying along a flat bench, pull one dumbbell from behind your head to over your chest with your elbows slightly bent. Add a one-arm row with your elbow driving to your hip for the rest of the lats.

Is there a lat pulldown with dumbbells?

Not a true one, since dumbbells pull straight down and a pulldown needs the load to come from above you. The pullover is the dumbbell lift that loads the lats from overhead.

Can I do a wide-grip lat pulldown at home?

With a pull-up bar, a wide-grip pull-up trains the same thing, and a band looped on the bar helps if you need it. With no bar, rows and pullovers are your options.

What are the best exercises for lats?

A vertical pull (pulldown or pull-up), a row with your elbow driving to your hip, and a straight-arm pulldown or pullover. Together they train the lats from overhead and from the front.

Are pull-ups better than lat pulldowns?

For muscle, neither is better. Pull-ups need less equipment and train your trunk too; pulldowns let you set any weight, which suits beginners and high-rep sets.