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Exercise Comparison

Cable Incline Pushdown vs V-Bar Pulldown

Cable Incline Pushdown - starting position
Cable Incline Pushdown - ending position
Cable Incline Pushdown
beginner·Cable·isolation
V-Bar Pulldown - starting position
V-Bar Pulldown - ending position
V-Bar Pulldown
intermediate·Cable·compound

Side-by-Side

Cable Incline Pushdown
VS
V-Bar Pulldown
beginner
Level
intermediate
Cable
Equipment
Cable
isolation
Mechanic
compound
pull
Force
pull
Strength
Category
Strength
lats
Primary
lats
None
Secondary
bicepsmiddle backshoulders

Muscle Analysis

Shared

lats

Only in V-Bar Pulldown

bicepsmiddle backshoulders

Instructions

Cable Incline Pushdown

1

Lie on incline an bench facing away from a high pulley machine that has a straight bar attachment on it.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

V-Bar Pulldown

1

Sit down on a pull-down machine with a V-Bar attached to the top pulley.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe in.

6

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.

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