Back
Long-Pulley, Narrow
A foundational compound movement for building a thick, powerful back and improved upright posture.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Sit on the bench with your feet firmly on the footplates and a slight bend in your knees to protect your lower back.
Grasp the narrow V-bar handle with a neutral grip and sit upright with your arms fully extended in front of you.
Pull the handle toward your lower abdomen by driving your elbows back while keeping them close to your ribcage.
Retract your shoulder blades at the peak of the movement and hold the contraction for one second.
Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position under control without letting the weight stack touch.
Maintain a stationary torso throughout the entire range of motion to ensure the back muscles do the work.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Leaning too far backward to gain momentum during the pull
- Flaring the elbows out wide which shifts tension away from the lats
- Shrugging the shoulders upward toward the ears
- Using a range of motion that is too short to fully engage the rhomboids
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.