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Lat pulldown alternatives

The assisted pull-up machine is the closest lat pulldown alternative, since it's the same vertical pull with part of your bodyweight taken off. At home, a resistance band anchored over a door works the same way.

How to do the wide-grip lat pulldown

On a machine or cable

With bodyweight

With dumbbells or bands

How to pick

In a gym, the assisted pull-up machine or a single-arm cable pulldown keeps the same vertical pull. If you're building toward pull-ups, band-assisted pull-ups and chin-ups get you there. At home, anchor a band over a door.

Lat pulldown alternatives FAQ

What can I do instead of lat pulldowns at home?

A resistance band anchored over a door gives you the same pull. Inverted rows under a sturdy table and dumbbell rows train the same lats too.

Are pull-ups better than lat pulldowns?

They train the same muscles. Pulldowns let you set the weight, so they're easier to start with and progress in small steps. Most people use both.

Try these swaps in LiftCamp