The Machine Lat Pullover is a beginner-friendly machine strength exercise that targets the lats and middle back, with the chest and triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesChest, Triceps
EquipmentMachine
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Machine Lat Pullover
Set the seat so your shoulders line up with the machine's pivot and load the weight.
Sit down, fasten the seat belt if one is fitted, and press your back into the pad.
Place your forearms on the pads or take the handles with the elbows bent and fixed.
Pull your upper arms down and forward in an arc until your elbows reach your ribs.
Hold the contraction briefly with the shoulder blades depressed.
Let the arms travel back overhead under control until the lats lengthen, then repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Trains the lats through shoulder extension with no grip or biceps limitation.
Guided arc holds resistance on the back at the overhead stretch, which free weights cannot.
Seat belt and back pad remove the trunk stability demand, so load stays on the target muscle.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Changing the elbow angle mid-rep turns the pullover into a pressdown and takes the lats out of the movement.
Letting the torso lean forward to finish the rep replaces lat work with trunk flexion.
Cutting the overhead range short keeps the lats out of the stretched position where most of the stimulus lives.
Loading too heavily forces the shoulders past a comfortable overhead range and stresses the joint capsule.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Machine Lat Pullover, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
