How can I make the exercise easier?

You can decrease the difficulty by raising the bar height or bending your knees and placing your feet flat on the floor.

What is the difference between this and a pull-up?

The inverted lat pull down, also known as an inverted row, changes the angle of pull to be more horizontal, which reduces the percentage of bodyweight you must lift.

Should my chest actually touch the bar?

While touching the bar indicates a full range of motion, focus on the quality of your shoulder blade retraction rather than forcing contact.

Inverted Lat Pull Down Guide: Master the Inverted Row

Learn how to perform the inverted lat pull down with proper form to build a stronger back and improve your pull-up strength.

How to Perform

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

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

Primary movers

Lats

Stabilizers

Rhomboids
Biceps
Rear Deltoids
Core

Related Guides

Lats · Back