Exercise Comparison
Cable Incline Pushdown vs V-Bar Pulldown




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in V-Bar Pulldown
Instructions
Cable Incline Pushdown
Lie on incline an bench facing away from a high pulley machine that has a straight bar attachment on it.
Grasp the straight bar attachment overhead with a pronated (overhand; palms down) shoulder width grip and extend your arms in front of you. The bar should be around 2 inches away from your upper thighs. This will be your starting position.
Keeping the upper arms stationary, lift your arms back in a semi circle until the bar is straight over your head. Breathe in during this portion of the movement.
Slowly go back to the starting position using your lats and hold the contraction once you reach the starting position. Breathe out during the execution of this movement.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
V-Bar Pulldown
Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.
Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar.
Grab the V-bar with the palms facing each other (a neutral grip). Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly (around 30-degrees) in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
Using your lats, pull the bar down as you squeeze your shoulder blades. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion. Tip: Keep the torso stationary throughout the movement.
After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.
Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the lats. Cable Incline Pushdown is a beginner exercise using cable, while V-Bar Pulldown is intermediate and uses cable. Choose Cable Incline Pushdown if you're looking for a more accessible option, or V-Bar Pulldown for a greater challenge. V-Bar Pulldown is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Cable Incline Pushdown isolates the target muscle for focused development.