Exercise guide · Back
Machine Pullover
The machine pullover isolates the lats using a fixed arc and seat setup. Sit with your upper arms on the pads, grab the handles or bar, and pull down in the machine's path without swinging your torso.
- Targets: Lats
- Equipment: Machine
- Type: Isolation
Step by step
How to do the Machine Pullover
- Adjust the seat height so your upper arms align with the arm pads and your elbows sit at a comfortable pivot point.
- Sit with your back against the pad, chest up, and feet flat on the floor or foot platform.
- Grab the handles or bar with a comfortable grip and start with arms extended overhead in line with the machine path.
- Pull the bar or handles down in a smooth arc toward your thighs or mid-torso by driving through your lats.
- Control the return to the start until your arms reach full stretch without letting the weight stack slam.
Form cues
- Chest stays against the pad
- Elbows track along the machine pads
- Pull with lats, not a body lean
- Slow, controlled return—no bouncing at the top
Common mistakes
- Leaning forward or backward to move the weight
- Shrugging shoulders up during the pull
- Shortening range at the top stretch
- Seat or pad height set wrong so elbows sit awkwardly
Muscles worked
Primary
Lats
Secondary
None significant
Safety: Use a moderate weight you can control through the full range. Reset seat and pad height if shoulders feel strained at the stretched position.
Alternatives
