How many sets and reps of the cable pullover should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Because the cable keeps tension on the lats through the whole range, three sets of 12 to 15 controlled reps build more than a heavier, shorter set would. Add weight only once you can hold the hinge steady for every rep.

What can I do instead of the cable pullover with no cable machine?

A dumbbell pullover on a flat bench trains the same overhead arc, or a resistance band anchored high overhead worked in a standing hinge gets you closest to the cable's constant tension.

What is the cable pullover good for and when should you skip it?

The steady tension makes it a gentle, easy-to-feel lat isolator that works well as a finisher on back day for lifters of any level. It's a poor choice as a primary strength builder, since cable stacks cap out lighter than the loads an experienced lifter can handle with a barbell or dumbbell.

Intermediate

Cable Pullover

Running a pullover off a high or overhead cable keeps steady tension on the lats from full stretch to full contraction, something a dumbbell cannot do because gravity lets it off near the top. It is a superb lat isolator that is gentle on the shoulders and easy to feel, making it a favorite finisher for back day. Set up with straight arms and let the lats sweep the handle down.

Equipment: Cables
Body part: Back, Lats
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
Browse by movement: Vertical Pull

How to do it

1
Set a rope or bar on a high pulley and face the machine, gripping the attachment overhead.
2
Step back and hinge slightly forward with arms extended and a fixed soft elbow bend.
3
Brace the core and keep the chest proud.
4
Sweep the attachment down and toward your hips in an arc by pulling from the lats.
5
Squeeze at the bottom, then let the cable draw your arms back overhead into a stretch.
6
Exhale as you pull down and inhale as the arms rise back overhead.

Tips

Keep the elbows only slightly bent and locked at that angle throughout the arc.
Move only at the shoulders, the torso stays quiet in its hinge.
Chase a big stretch at the top, that lengthened tension is where the cable shines.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hips rock forward and back to help sweep the handle down, turning a shoulder isolation move into a standing row.
The torso straightens up at the top of the stretch instead of holding its hinge, letting the plates settle and the tension drop exactly where it should peak.
Once the weight stack gets heavy, the elbows bend more to muscle the attachment down, turning the lat sweep into a triceps pressdown.
Standing too close to the pulley shortens the arc and cuts off the overhead stretch that makes this version worth doing over a machine.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the cable pullover should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Because the cable keeps tension on the lats through the whole range, three sets of 12 to 15 controlled reps build more than a heavier, shorter set would. Add weight only once you can hold the hinge steady for every rep.
What can I do instead of the cable pullover with no cable machine?: A dumbbell pullover on a flat bench trains the same overhead arc, or a resistance band anchored high overhead worked in a standing hinge gets you closest to the cable's constant tension.
What is the cable pullover good for and when should you skip it?: The steady tension makes it a gentle, easy-to-feel lat isolator that works well as a finisher on back day for lifters of any level. It's a poor choice as a primary strength builder, since cable stacks cap out lighter than the loads an experienced lifter can handle with a barbell or dumbbell.

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