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

Pullover Machine

Also called Nautilus pullover

MachineIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Upper back & lats

Also chest, triceps

You need

Machines

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Stretch
2Squeeze
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Seat set so your shoulders line up with the pivot
  2. 2Start with your arms high behind your head
  3. 3Drive your elbows down to your stomach

Most common mistake

Pushing with the hands instead of driving with the elbows.

Watch a demo

Good for

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

Compare with

vs Machine High Rowvs Chest-Supported Rowvs Neutral-Grip Pulldown
S
For back
#7 of 40
See the full list →
Research
86
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 86
Target tensionStrong
Loaded stretchExcellent
ProgressionStrong
Low costExcellent

Trains the lats through a big stretch with the arms nearly straight, so the biceps can’t take over.

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

  • SLat PulldownCable
  • SNeutral-Grip PulldownCable
  • SChest-Supported RowDumbbell
  • SMachine RowMachine

Takes

None yet
needed to post
280