Band Seated Pulldown
Seated band pulldown from an overhead anchor — a stable, controlled way to train the lats from the floor.
How to do it
- Anchor the band high overhead — over a door or a beam — and sit on the floor or a bench beneath it.
- Reach up and grab both ends of the band with your arms straight overhead and palms facing forward.
- Pull both elbows down toward your ribs, leading with your elbows rather than your hands.
- Draw your shoulder blades down and together at the bottom, fully contracting your lats.
- Slowly bring your arms back overhead with control over 2–3 seconds, keeping tension on the band throughout.
- Do 10–15 reps, focusing on a clean lat squeeze at the bottom of every pull.
Key technique cue
Elbows to the ribs, shoulders down, don't lean back.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Leaning back during the pull, which turns the seated pulldown into a regular row.
- ✕ Pulling with the biceps and curling the wrists instead of driving from the lats.
- ✕ Shrugging at the top, losing the vertical pulling pattern.
- ✕ Letting the band go too fast on the eccentric, missing half the benefit of time under tension.
Benefits
- ✓ Isolates the lats by taking leg and hip compensation out of the movement.
- ✓ Builds vertical pulling strength for users who haven't reached pull-ups yet.
- ✓ The stable seated position suits rehab and beginners well.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here -
Step 2
About the exercise
The seated band pulldown is the more controlled sibling of the kneeling version: sitting on the floor or a bench takes the legs out of the equation, forcing the lats and upper back to do all the work. The seated position also makes it easier for beginners to feel the right muscles working without compensating through the hips. It belongs in beginner pulling programs, home workouts and any program for people who don't yet have the strength for a full pull-up. The seated stability also makes it a natural fit for rehab and post-injury work, where balance demands need to stay low.
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