V bar or close grip pulldown is a popular exercise you can see most people doing on a lat pulldown machine. Close grip pulldown allows you to focus more on the thickness of the back, which mostly targets the mid-back. However, you will need a lat pulldown machine or a cable machine to perform this exercise.
If you don’t have access to the machines or if due to a large crowd in the gym, you could lose lots of time in waiting for your turn. Also, some people work out at home and they might not have machines to perform V bar pulldown. So what are the other alternative options you have?
So in this article, I have shared with you some of the best V bar pulldown alternatives that you can do at home with just basic home gym equipment. But before talking about the alternatives, it’s important to know the muscles engaged during V bar pulldown.
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Muscles Used During V Bar Pulldown
The primary muscles engaged during V bar pulldown are lats, rhomboids, and teres major. These are the primary muscles used during a pulling movement. Along with these, some secondary muscles like traps biceps and rear delts are also activated to assist during the movement.
You should understand that whenever we do any pulling movement while keeping our elbows in, it is mostly done to add thickness to your back. So V bar pulldown is good to add thickness to the back and target the mid part of your back. Whereas lat pulldown is good in building the width of the back.
So now, as we know about which muscles are targeted during V bar pulldown, now let’s talk about its alternatives.
V Bar Pulldown Alternatives
1. Incline Dumbbell Row
The incline dumbbell row is a great alternative to V bar pulldown as it targets the same muscles. It is a great exercise to build the thickness of the back. You can do this with just a dumbbell and a bench.
Targeted muscles- latissimus dorsi, traps, rhomboids, teres major, erector spinae.
How to do
1. Grab two pairs of dumbbells on both hands. Lay down on an incline bench with both feet supported down the bench.
2. From this position, roll your shoulders back and start lifting the dumbbells up towards your mid stomach. Your elbows should be in to focus more on lat muscles.
3. Maintain a 90° angle between the elbow. Otherwise, your biceps will start dominating the exercise.
4. Pause at the top and then go down slow and stretch your back at the bottom.
5. Your shoulders should go back before you move the weights up. This is key to targeting your back.
Recommended reps- 10-12
If you can’t focus on your lats during any back workout, then try this! As you cannot use too much momentum here, you will be able to focus on your lats even more.
Bonus!
You can also do the same exercise with a barbell i.e. Chest supported barbell row. Your range of motion will be reduced when performing with a barbell instead of dumbbells as the bar will touch the bench at the end.
But you should add some variations and changes to your workout program to get continuous results. So this exercise can also be used as an alternative to v bar pulldown.
Form- The form and technique of the barbell chest supported row are similar to the incline dumbbell row. Just remember to hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip and everything else is the same.
2. One Arm Row
One arm row is another great alternative exercise you can add in place of the V bar pulldown. One arm row is much easier and is an amazing exercise for your back.
This exercise is good at focusing on each side of your back separately. Whenever you do any unilateral movements like this, you can get rid of the muscular imbalances. So if one side of your back is weaker than the other, then consider doing this exercise.
How to do
1. Grab a dumbbell and place one hand on the bench while holding a dumbbell in other hand. Now keep one leg on the bench and the other leg on the floor at a side.
2. Roll your hips up and keep your shoulders retracted. This will make your back neutral. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by rowing the dumbbells up while keeping your elbows in. Your elbow should be at a 90°angle as you move the dumbbell up.
4. Stop at the top and squeeze your lats. Then slowly return to the starting position and then repeat.
Make sure to fully stretch your back at the bottom. This will increase the range of motion and will be more effective for growth.
You can do this exercise with heavy dumbbells but make sure that you don’t round your back during the movement.
3. Standing Dumbbell Rows
This is another best exercise to train your back. This exercise targets not only the lats but also your traps, rhomboids, and core muscles which stabilizes the body during heavy compound movement. So if you can’t fo V pulldown, at least don’t skip this exercise.
How to do
1. Hold two dumbbells and stand with both feet at hip-width apart. Bend down by taking your hips back and spine upright. Don’t round your lower back and keep your chest up.
2. Roll your shoulders back and pull the dumbbells up. Your elbows should be tucked in while going up. Don’t bend your neck or back during the movement.
3. Pause when dumbbells are at the side of your stomach. Then return to the starting position steadily.
This exercise can also be done at home. You just need a pair of dumbbells and you can do it anywhere you want.
4. Close Grip Pull Ups
Close-grip or neutral grip pull-up is another great exercise to strengthen your lats. This exercise is a compound movement that will help you in building size and thickness to your back. This is a very good alternative to the V bar pulldown as you are targeting multiple muscles at one time.
Equipment Required- Pull up bar
Targeted muscles- biceps brachii, lats, brachialis, and brachioradialis
How to do
1. Grab a pull-up bar with a neutral grip and hang straight with your abs engaged. This will be your starting position.
2. Start by pulling your body up with the help of your arms by keeping your chest up and shoulders retracted.
3. Move up and bring your head up above the bar and stop there for a second.
4. Squeeze your biceps and lats at the top and slowly bring your body down to the starting position.
Recommended Reps- 6-8 ( depending upon your strength)
You can add the intensity of the exercise by putting in extra weights. Just roll a belt over the waist and attach it with a plate and then perform the movement. But make sure that you can do at least 6-8 reps of those to get proper results.
5. Close Grip Pulldown With Resistance Band
This exercise works exactly like V bar pulldown. The only difference here is that you are using a resistance band in place of a pulldown machine. You can do this exercise easily at home if you have a resistance band.
Targeted muscles – lats, rhomboids, and teres major
How to do
1. Hook a mid part of the resistance band at the top. Hold each handle of the band and sit on the chair or a bench.
Keep both feet on the floor and arms straight up. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise first by rolling your shoulders down and then start pulling the band with the help of your lats. Lean slightly back as you pull.
4. Keep your elbows in front of the body and pull until your hand reaches chest level. Squeeze your lats at the bottom and then slowly return to the starting position.
You can do this exercise with different kinds of bands. Some resistance bands come up with high resistance while some are low in resistance. Make sure you choose the right band according to your strength.
6. TRX Row
TRX row is one of the popular TRX exercises to train the back muscles. This exercise also works similarly to V bar pulldown. You wil hit the same muscles and you can do this exercise even at your home.
Targeted muscles – lats, rhomboids, and teres major
How to do
1. Hook a TRX suspension at the top. Hold each end of the TRX handles and take a few steps back.
2. Lean backward while keeping your arms straight. Keep both feet together. This wil be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by pulling the TRX and start pulling your body up towards the TRX suspension. Keep your elbows in and chest up as you pull.
4. Stop when your hand is closer to your chest. Then slowly return to the starting position.
You can increase the intensity and difficulty level of the exercise by learning more backward. The more you lower your body to the ground, the more challenging the workout becomes. O if you are a beginner, then start with a more upright position, and then as you progress, you can start going down.
7. Bent Over Row
This is another popular exercise to target the lats. Bent over row is a compound exercise and is one of the best exercises to strengthen the back.
This exercise not only targets the lats but also other stabilizer muscles like the core and erector spinae. So if for any reason, you cannot do V bar pulldown, you can do bent over row as an alternative.
Targeted muscles – lats, rhomboids, teres major, traps, abs and biceps
How to do
1. Place your feet under the barbell. Bend down by moving your hips back and then lift the bar with your arms.
2. Now bend again by taking your hips back and stopping when the barbell reaches the knee level. Keep your chest up, this will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by pulling the weights up towards your stomach while keeping your chest up and shoulders retracted. Your lower back should not round during the movement.
4. Gradually lower the bar back to the starting position and then repeat.
Recommended reps- 10-12
As you go down to lift the barbell, Your hips should go back as if there is a chair behind you and you have to sit. Your chest should also be up as you go down. This keeps your back flat allowing you to be in the right position to perform the exercise.
8. Landmine Row
This exercise is another different way to train the lats. Here, you need a landmine setup. This is a unilateral exercise just like a one-arm row and will give you the same results. So next time in your back workout, try this alternative.
Targeted muscles – Lats, rhomboids, traps, teres major
How to do
1. Set a barbell in the landmine setup and stand just beside the bar.
2. Now bend down by taking your hips back and grab at the end part of a barbell from one hand. Your hips should be back and your chest should be up. This will be your starting position.
3. Start lifting the barbell up by flexing your lats. Your elbow should be in to make it an exact alternative for T bar rows. You can also do it with your elbows out as shown in the video.
4. Return to the starting position and do subsequent reps in a controlled way.
Recommended reps- 10-12
Make sure to keep your back flat and do this exercise with proper form and technique. You should engage your lats as you pull the bar up.
9. T Bar Row
This is a compound movement that will increase the strength and will give you thickness and size to your back. If you look at the joint movement and your hand positioning during the T bar rows, it is similar to the V bar pulldown. The only difference is that you are pulling from the ground rather than towards the ground.
Targeted muscles- Latissimus dorsi, traps, teres major, biceps
How to do
1. Take one barbell and place the one end of it at the corner of the floor or fix it inside a landmine base. Add the weights on the other side of the barbell.
2. Stand at a shoulder-width stance and grab the barbell. You can also use a close grip bar which is used to perform seated cable rows. This will increase the range of motion.
3. With your shoulders back, start lifting the barbell and take it to your waist. Don’t bend your lower back during the movement.
4. Return back to the starting position slowly and then repeat the movement.
Recommended reps- 10-12
Go heavy on this. Make sure to keep your back straight during each rep. You can do this exercise at the beginning stage of your workout as it is a heavy compound exercise.
10. Towel rows
This exercise is good for people who want to work out at home. The difficulty level of this exercise is low so the beginner can also try this at home. So if you don’t have any equipment at home, you can try this exercise.
Targeted muscles- lats, rhomboids (upper back)
How to do
1. Take a long towel and roll it up around a pillar. Hold it with your hands and take your steps back.
2. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hands straight. Your shoulder should be back and chest forward. This will be your starting position.
3. Now start reaching forward by flexing your elbows and squeezing your back as you move. Your elbow should be in as you move forward.
4. Pause at the top and then slowly return to the starting position.
Recommended reps- 12-15
You should do this exercise slowly to get the most out of it. Always remember to breathe out as you pull and breathe in as you elongate the muscles.
Final Thoughts
So these were some of the best alternatives to V bar pulldown. You should do all these exercises with proper form and technique to get the best results from each workout. Some of these exercises can be done bodyweight with minimal equipment. So even if you are at home, you should not skip your workout and should do some of the exercises discussed above.
Make sure that you design your workout program according to your goals and fitness level. You should not look for unrealistic expectations. Take smaller steps and slowly reach your desired goal. It is always advised to seek a fitness professional before starting any workout.
If you found this blog helpful, then do share it with your friends or share it on social media so that we can reach more people and can grow our website. Also, if you know of any other alternative exercises, then do mention that in the comment section below.
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Roshan Pillai is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer with more than 6 years of experience in lifting weights and guiding people to get fit. He has worked as a personal trainer in gyms and is the owner and editor of fitnessproworkout.com. He is passionate about fitness and helping people to get in shape.
