Cable Lat Pullover (Lat Prayer)
The Cable Lat Pullover, often called the Lat Prayer, is an isolation exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi through a large range of motion. By keeping the arms relatively straight and sweeping the weight down towards the hips, it effectively builds back width while minimizing bicep involvement.
Since this isolation movement relies heavily on constant tension rather than max load, our AI analyzes your reps and intensity to detect momentum cheating. By integrating recovery data like HRV and sleep quality, the app can adjust your volume to prevent overtraining the lats, which are frequently taxed in other compound lifts. If you have a history of shoulder impingement, the system tracks this preference and can suggest biomechanical alternatives to maintain training volume safely.
Form Cues
- Hinge at your hips to create a stable base and stretch the lats.
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows throughout the entire movement.
- Imagine sweeping the floor with your hands as you pull the rope toward your thighs.
- Squeeze your lats hard at the bottom position where your hands meet your legs.
- Control the ascent slowly to maximize the stretch in your upper back.
- Don't change the angle of your elbows during the rep (turning it into a press).
- Don't shrug your shoulders up towards your ears as you pull.
- Don't use momentum or rock your torso to initiate the movement.
- Don't round your lower back; keep your spine neutral.
- Don't let the weight stack touch down between reps.
Common Mistakes
- Turning the movement into a triceps pushdown
- Bending the elbows to row the weight
- Standing too upright and limiting range of motion
- Using excessive momentum to swing the weight
- Gripping the rope too tightly and engaging forearms over lats
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily isolates the latissimus dorsi, specifically targeting the lower portion of the muscle to enhance back width and the V-taper aesthetic. Unlike rows or pulldowns, it removes the biceps from the equation, placing secondary stabilizing demand on the long head of the triceps, the posterior deltoids, and the core.
Primary
Secondary
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