V-Bar Pulldown
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
Starting position
End position
How to Do V-Bar Pulldown
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.
- Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
- Grab the V-bar with the palms facing each other (a neutral grip). Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly (around 30-degrees) in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
- Using your lats, pull the bar down as you squeeze your shoulder blades. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion. Tip: Keep the torso stationary throughout the movement.
- After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.
- Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to V-Bar Pulldown
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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2
Lying T-Bar Row
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a machine.
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3
Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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4
Wide-Grip Pulldown Behind The Neck
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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5
V-Bar Pullup
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, needing no equipment.
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6
Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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7
One-Arm Long Bar Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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8
Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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9
T-Bar Row with Handle
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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10
Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do v-bar pulldown work?
V-Bar Pulldown primarily works the upper back. The biceps and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for v-bar pulldown?
V-Bar Pulldown uses cable machine.
V-Bar Pulldown: is it suitable for beginners?
V-Bar Pulldown is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.
What can I do instead of v-bar pulldown?
Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row, Lying T-Bar Row, Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my v-bar pulldown reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; v-bar pulldown can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your V-Bar Pulldown with AI
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