Cable Rope Pullover Guide: Benefits, How-To, Alternatives & More

Because this is a very isolated movement, we would recommend that you keep your rep ranges higher rather than progressively overloading the exercises. The design of the exercise is better suited to hypertrophy training, with strength training for the lats being better suited to pull-ups (see guide), weighted pull-ups and more supported back exercises.

Considering this, aim for a 10 – 12 rep range, for 3 – 4 sets with a 1 – 2 minutes rest time.

This exercise is brilliant for getting maximum activation of the lats. If we’re looking to build in this specific area, the position of our arms and torso allows us to get the maximum stretch on this muscle as our humerus is high and in front of us.

Exercises that are also good for lat isolation: helms row, v bar lat pulldown, neutral grip pulldown, pronated pulldown.

Because we’re using our abs and hips to stabilise the movement, this exercise is much more functional than a sitting, chest-assisted move for example.

This means that we’re gaining crossover benefits for every day life, as well as our bigger compound lifts that require core and hip stability.

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Isolation exercises are a double-edged sword. Whilst this exercise is brilliant for targeting the lats, what about all of the other muscles in our back?

Using this exercise as an accessory to a bigger move like the pull-up (see guide) is fine, but by itself, we’re not going to build a strong back.

As we’ve discussed, the lats are the key muscle in this movement. In the diagram we have here we can see how the muscle attaches to the humerus. When our arms are in front of us, like they are at the start of this movement, our lats will be working to pull the bone back to the torso.

Regarding other muscles involved in this movement. The traps (see prone trap raise guide) and rhomboids will be working hard to keep the shoulder blades in place. Also the teres major (Little lat helper) will be assisting the lat by pulling the humerus. Finally, the triceps will be working to keep the slight bend in the arm.

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If you’re using a narrow or medium grip width, this exercise is brilliant for working the lats. We would also recommend a neutral grip (palms facing each other) for maximum results.

This exercise differs from the cable rope pullover in that 1) it’s seated so it requires less stability. This can help us to kick the weight up and progressively overload the muscle. And 2) because our elbows are flexing (bending), our biceps will be getting a bit of a workout. In short, less isolated and athletic, but potentially more strength potential.

We’ve recommended this exercise on a few of our blogs because there’s so much to love about it. It’s incredibly functional as we’re in a standing position with our core and hips stabilising us.

We also have the potential to really overload this exercise because we’re flexing the elbow, recruiting the bicep. Finally, if we relax our shoulder blades at the start of the movement, we can also get a good trap and rhomboid workout as we retract our scapula close to our spine midway through the rep.