Liftworthy
ExploreTrainFeed
Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

Rankings
  • All rankings
  • Add an exercise
  • Build a workout
About
  • How scores work
  • The app
  • Your tiers
Legal
  • Privacy
  • Terms & community rules
General training information, not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and see a professional.
  • Explore
  • Train
  • Feed
  • You
Explore/Back

Neutral-Grip Pulldown

Also called Close-grip pulldown, V-bar pulldown

CableCompoundEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Upper back & lats

Also biceps

You need

Cable station

Also works on the lat pulldown

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
Thigh pad
1Start
Thigh pad
2Bottom
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Neutral handle, slight lean back
  2. 2Elbows drive down and back to your hips
  3. 3Full stretch overhead each rep

Most common mistake

Short, jerky reps with the torso swinging.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for back
  • Loads the muscle while it’s stretched
  • Easy to keep adding weight
  • Easy on the joints and recovery

Compare with

vs Assisted Pull-Upvs Lat Pulldownvs Plate-Loaded Pulldown
S
For back
#4 of 40
See the full list →
Research
91
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 91
Target tensionStrong
Loaded stretchExcellent
ProgressionExcellent
Low costExcellent

A deep overhead stretch and fine weight steps, with a grip that lets the elbows travel further down and back.

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SMachine RowMachine
  • SAssisted Pull-UpMachine
  • SPlate-Loaded PulldownMachine
  • SLat PulldownCable

Takes

None yet
needed to post
280