Best Lats Exercises

This shortlist highlights 83 exercises that target the lats. It is a curated editorial roundup built from movement type, equipment, and difficulty data — not a lab ranking or coaching substitute.

How we chose these exercises

  • We group exercises by the attribute a reader is most likely filtering on first, such as target muscle, equipment, or difficulty.
  • We favor exercises with clear movement intent and dependable metadata for muscle group, equipment, and difficulty.
  • Beginner-friendly movements and low-equipment options are surfaced earlier when the shortlist serves broad training intent.
  • This page is a curated editorial ranking rather than a personalized training plan or medical recommendation.

Featured exercises

83 curated exercises for this shortlist.

1

1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
A

Alternating High Cable Row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
A

Archer Pull Up

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps, Traps
B

Back extensión

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Serratus Anterior
B

Ball Slams

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Obliques, Abs, Shoulders
C

Close-grip Lat Pull Down

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
H

High Row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
H

Hyper Y W Combo

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
J

JALON EN BANCO INCLINADO

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
J

Jalón abierto

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
J

Jalón abierto supino

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
J

Jalón al pecho con agarre ancho

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps, Biceps, Brachialis
J

Jalón cerrado

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
J

Jalón cerrado supino

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
K

Kroc Row

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
L

Lat Pull Down

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Brachialis, Serratus Anterior
L

Lat Pull Down (Leaning Back)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
L

Lat Pull Down (Straight Back)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
L

Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
L

Lat Pulldown - Cross Body Single Arm

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
L

Leverage Machine Iso Row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
L

Long-Pulley (low Row)

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps, Brachialis
L

Long-Pulley, Narrow

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps, Brachialis
N

Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
P

PULL OVER POLEA ALTA

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Serratus Anterior
P

Pull-Ups (Neutral Grip)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
P

Pullover Machine

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest, Triceps
R

Rowing seated, narrow grip

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
R

Rowing, T-bar

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Biceps, Brachialis
S

SEATED CABLE MID TRAP SHRUG

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Seated Cable Rows

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Seated machine row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Seated Row (Machine)

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Traps
S

Shotgun Row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Side Lateral Raise (Cable)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Side Straight-Arm Pulldown (Cable)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Straight-arm Pull Down (bar Attachment)

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Triceps
S

Straight-arm Pull Down (rope Attachment)

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Triceps
S

Straight-Arm Pulldown (Cable)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
T

Towel Superman

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders
U

Underhand Lat Pull Down

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps
V

V-BAR PULL DOWNS

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
W

Wide-grip Pulldown

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
C

Chin-ups

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
F

Front Lever

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Abs
H

Horizontal traction isometry

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest, Shoulders, Biceps
I

Ice Scream maker

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Abs
I

Isometria trazioni impugnatura inversa

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps, Traps
L

L-sit

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest, Abs, Quadriceps
L

L-Sit (Foot Supported)

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest, Abs, Serratus Anterior
N

Neutral-grip pull-ups or TRX rows

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Biceps
P

Pull-ups

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Biceps, Traps
P

Pull-Ups (Wide Grip)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
R

Remada unilateral no cabo

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Scapula Pulls

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
S

Seated Shoulder Extension Stretch

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest
W

Wide Grip Pull Up

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Biceps, Traps
W

Wide Pull Up

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
A

Alternative DB Gorilla rows

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Barbell Row (Overhand)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Barbell Row (Underhand)

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Butchers Block Stretch

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
D

Deadlifts

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Glutes
E

Elevated prayer stretch

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
F

Face pulls with yellow/green band

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
H

Helms Row

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
L

Lat Pull DB

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Glutes
L

LYING DUMBBELL ROW SS SEATED SHRUG

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
M

Modified pulldown

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
O

One-Arm Heavy Row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
R

Renegade Row

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps
R

Rope Pullover/row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Seated rear delt rise

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
S

Single arm row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
U

Unilateral Cable row

Category
Isolation
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
None
B

Bent Over Rowing

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Biceps
B

Bent Over Rowing Reverse

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Shoulders, Biceps
C

Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullovers

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Chest, Serratus Anterior
M

Meadows Row

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps, Biceps, Abs
P

Pendelay Rows

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps, Biceps, Triceps
R

Row

Category
Compound
Primary Muscle
Lats
Secondary Muscle
Traps, Quadriceps

Training references

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best lats exercises?

Best Lats Exercises highlights options such as 1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown, Alternating High Cable Row, Archer Pull Up. The right pick depends on your training goal, available equipment, and experience level.

How did you choose these lats exercises?

We curated this shortlist using muscle-targeting data, equipment tags, movement type, and difficulty so the page reflects practical training intent.

Should beginners start with every exercise in this lats list?

No. Start with the exercises that match your current technique, mobility, and equipment access, then progress as your form and strength improve.