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Inverted Lat Pull Down
Master your bodyweight strength and lat development with this scalable alternative to the traditional pull-up.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Set a barbell in a rack or use a low pull-up bar at approximately waist height.
Lie on the floor underneath the bar and grasp it with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Extend your legs forward and dig your heels into the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your ankles.
Engage your shoulder blades by pulling them down and back before starting the movement.
Pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down toward your hips until your sternum nearly touches the bar.
Lower yourself back to the starting position with control, maintaining a tight core and straight body line.
Fully extend your arms at the bottom of the movement without letting your hips sag or shoulders shrug.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Allowing the hips to sag or the lower back to arch excessively.
- Leading the pull with the chin instead of the chest.
- Using momentum or jerky movements to reach the bar.
- Failing to fully retract the shoulder blades at the top of the rep.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.