Kneeling Cable Pullover Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations

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Your back is the second biggest muscle group. A developed back can take your physique aesthetics to the next level. Wide latissimus dorsi muscles can accentuate your V-taper and add to the illusion of broad shoulders and a narrow waist. 

The back includes muscles like lats, rhomboids, teres major and minor, traps, and erector spinae. Horizontal pulling movements like the lat pulldown and pull-ups help improve your back width, whereas rowing movements like the cable row and barbell and dumbbell bent-over row build your back thickness. 

The problem with most back training routines is that they lack isolation exercises. Compound lifts like the barbell row, deadlift, and cable pulldown will help build size and strength. Still, you cannot overlook isolation exercises as they help fix muscle imbalances and improve strength and conditioning. This is where the cable pullover variations shine. 

The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets the lats. Using a cable instead of a dumbbell allows you to maintain constant tension on your lats throughout the range of motion. 

During the dumbbell pullover, when the dumbbell is above your head, there is no tension on your lats. This is, however, not the case with the cable pullover. The cable will pull on your lats even when the bar is in front of your chest. 

In this article, we cover everything you need to learn about the kneeling cable pullover to step up your lat game. You’ll discover this exercise’s correct form, benefits, target muscle groups, common mistakes, and best variations and alternatives. 

What is a Kneeling Cable Pullover?

The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets your lats. Most latissimus dorsi exercises result in biceps engagement, as your biceps are involved in the pulling motion required in most back exercises. 

Since your biceps are a small muscle group, they fatigue before your lats, hampering your performance and leading you to leave gains on the table. The kneeling cable pullover eradicates this problem as the movement is limited to your shoulder joint in this exercise. There is no elbow flexion and extension involved in the kneeling cable pullover, which helps limit your pythons’ role in this exercise. 

As the name suggests, the kneeling cable pullover is performed on a cable machine while kneeling. You’ll be facing away from the pulley during the exercise to achieve an optimal range of motion.

The kneeling cable pullover requires a strong core, especially if you plan to lift heavy on this exercise. We’ll also touch upon the half-kneeling cable pullover in this article, which is a preferred variation of this exercise, as its setup allows better balance and stability. 

Muscles Worked During Kneeling Cable Pullover

The kneeling cable pullover works the following muscles:

Primary Muscles

The latissimus dorsi is the primary target muscle group of the kneeling cable pullover. Your lats are the primary movers in this exercise and help move your arms through the eccentric and concentric parts of the lift. 

Secondary Muscles

The serratus anterior (located on the upper rib cage), triceps, shoulders, and core are the supporting muscle groups in the kneeling cable pullover. If you feel more tension in your secondary muscles than your lats, it is a sign that you’re doing something wrong and must fix your form. 

Benefits of Kneeling Cable Pullover

Adding the kneeling cable pullover to your training regimen entails the following advantages:

Build a Bigger Back

The kneeling cable pullover keeps your target muscle under constant tension throughout the range of motion, resulting in better muscle stimulation and hypertrophy. You should stay in the 8-12 rep range if your goal is to build muscle mass [1]. Furthermore, since the kneeling cable pullover is an isolation exercise, it can also improve your back conditioning. 

Improves Shoulder Mobility

The kneeling cable pullover involves movement at the shoulder joint. Furthermore, it stretches your lats and triceps, which are crucial in your overhead mobility. Performing kneeling cable pullovers will help achieve greater shoulder stability and control, improving your performance in compound lifts like the bench press, overhead press, and snatch.

Boosts Core Stability

Since you’ll be facing away from the pulley machine, you must keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain a stable torso. You’ll also experience core stimulation during the eccentric and concentric motion of the kneeling cable pullover. 

How To Do a Kneeling Cable Pullover

This is how to perform the kneeling cable pullover with the correct form:

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley machine at the highest setting and attach a straight bar handle.
2. Grab the handle with a pronated (overhand) grip.
3. Kneel down half a step in front of the pulley with your back toward the pole.
4. Plant your toes on the floor for stability. Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor throughout the range of motion.
5. Your arms should be extended overhead, your hands should be over your calves at the starting position, and the cable should be taut at the start position.
6. While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, pull down the straight bar until it is at your chest level.
7. Your arms should be parallel to the floor at the bottom.
8. Pause and contract your lats at the static contraction point.
9. Slowly return to the starting position.
10. Repeat for recommended reps.

Kneeling Cable Pullover Tips:

1. Keep your core and glutes engaged throughout the exercise for optimal balance and stability.
2. Sit on your heels if you have trouble maintaining a stable core while performing this exercise. However, your goal should be to build a strong core so you can do this exercise while kneeling.
3. Using a rope attachment in this exercise offers an enhanced range of motion.
4. Avoid arching your back during the eccentric (upward) motion of the exercise, as it can put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
5. Similarly, avoid rounding your back during the concentric (lowering) motion, as it can result in chest and ab engagement.

Common Mistakes While Performing a Kneeling Cable Pullover

Steer clear of the following lapses to make the most of the kneeling cable pullover:

Kneeling Too Far Away From The Pulley

Most people kneel too far away from the pulley. A significant gap between your torso and the pulley increases the risk of the cable rubbing into your head during the concentric (lowering) motion. Staying close to the pulley will ensure the cable misses your head. 

Not Following a Full Range of Motion

You must follow a full range of motion to make the most of this exercise. Some lifters lower the bar to their neck level and stop the eccentric motion when their arms form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Limiting your range of motion will restrict your muscle fiber recruitment. 

Using Momentum

Many lifters let their egos get the better of them in this exercise. They put more weight on the stack than they can handle and end up swinging their torso back and forth to lift the weight. Using momentum removes tension from your target muscle groups and puts it on your shoulders, triceps, and core. It also increases your risk of injury. 

Variations and Alternatives of Kneeling Cable Pullover

Here are a few kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives to add variety to your training regimen:

Half-Kneeling Cable Pullover

The half-kneeling cable pullover helps maintain better upper body stability as you have a better center of gravity. The steps for this exercise will remain the same as the conventional kneeling cable pullover. While performing this exercise, ensure that the upper and lower leg of the front leg is at a right angle, and the quad of the other leg is perpendicular to the floor. 

Resistance Band Kneeling Cable Pullover

Folks that don’t have access to a cable pulley machine can use a resistance band to train their lats without taxing their biceps. 

Steps:

1. Attach one end of the resistance band to an elevated object that is 8-10 feet high, such as a squat rack or a door.
2. Kneel down on the floor facing away from the door with the other end of the band wrapped around your hands.
3. Your arms should be extended overhead, and your hands over your calves at the starting position.
4. Brace your core and glutes, and bring your arms to your chest level.
5. Pause at the bottom and contract your lats.
6. Slowly return to the start position.

Lying Cable Pullover

The lying cable pullover is the closest you get to the dumbbell pullover while using a cable machine. 

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley machine at the lowest setting and hook up a rope attachment.
2. Set up a flat bench at an appropriate distance from the cable pulley so that the weight doesn’t rack at the bottom of the movement.
3. Place your upper back on the bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
4. Your hips should be as close to the floor as possible. This allows an optimal range of motion.
5. Hold the rope attachment with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
6. Extend your arms so that your hands are over your chest.
7. Slowly lower your hands toward the pulley while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
8. Pause at the bottom and focus on stretching your lats.
9. Return to the starting position.

Incline Cable Pullover

The incline cable pullover can deliver optimal lat engagement because of the lat stretch at the top of the rep. 

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley at the highest setting and connect a rope attachment.
2. Set up an incline bench facing away from the pulley. Adjust the bench’s incline to a 45-degree angle with the floor.
3. Lie on the bench and grab the rope attachment. Ensure that the cable is taut at the bottom of the movement.
4. While maintaining a slight elbow bend, pull the cable until your hands are in front of your chest.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Straight Arm Lat Pulldown

The straight arm lat pulldown is a popular cable exercise to work the lats. It helps work your back without engaging your biceps. 

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley to the highest setting and affix a straight bar.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip and take a couple of steps back.
3. Bend your knees slightly, push back your hips, and lower your torso until it is at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
4. Brace your core and pull down the bar to your thighs while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Dumbbell Pullover

This is the OG pullover exercise. Add this movement to your exercise arsenal to build wider lats. 

Steps:

1. Place your shoulders on a bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
2. Hold a dumbbell over your chest with both hands. Your arms should be extended and perpendicular to the floor.
3. Keep your hips low to the floor throughout the exercise for optimal lat engagement.
4. While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbell toward the floor behind your head.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Medicine Ball Slams

You probably weren’t expecting medicine ball slams on this list. However, it is a great movement to work your lats and core, as it involves explosive strength and power. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
2. Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands.
3. Squat down slightly to load the spring.
4. Lift the medicine ball overhead while extending your knees and raising your heels off the floor. Your body should be in a straight line, from hands to toes, at the top of the movement.
5. Use your lats, core, and arms to slam the medicine ball between your feet with as much force as possible.
6. Power the slam by lowering into a partial squat.
7. Repeat.

Wrapping Up

The kneeling cable pullover is an incredibly effective exercise to target your lats. Using a cable allows you to keep constant tension on your target muscle throughout the range of motion. This exercise will help you annihilate your lats without exhausting your biceps, which is the case with most pulling-based exercises.

We have also listed the kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives in this article that will help you keep your training sessions interesting. Add 1-2 exercises from this list into your back training regimen for building an aesthetically-appealing back. Best of luck!

References

1. Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.