Sliding Floor Pulldown on Towel
- Target muscle
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Synergist muscles
- Deltoid Posterior, Infraspinatus, Teres Major, Teres Minor, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers, Triceps Brachii
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Back
- Type
- Strength
The sliding floor pulldown on towel is a bodyweight back exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi, with significant contribution from the posterior deltoid, teres major, trapezius, and triceps brachii. Performed lying prone on a smooth floor with a towel under each hand, it mimics a lat pulldown using friction and bodyweight resistance. It is a practical option for building lat strength and scapular control without any equipment.
How to do the Sliding Floor Pulldown on Towel
- 1Lie face down on a smooth, low-friction floor with your body fully extended. Place a folded towel under each hand, or grip the ends of a single towel laid across the floor in front of you.
- 2Extend your arms straight overhead, shoulder-width apart, with your palms pressing down into the towels. Keep your forehead lightly resting on the floor.
- 3Engage your core and glutes so your lower back stays neutral and your hips do not hike upward.
- 4Initiate the movement by driving your elbows down and back toward your hips, allowing the towels to slide toward your sides. Focus on pulling with your lats rather than pushing with your hands.
- 5Continue sliding your arms until your elbows are bent roughly 90° and your hands are beside your ribcage. Squeeze your lats and mid-back at this point.
- 6Pause for one second at the bottom of the pull, maintaining tension through the back.
- 7Slowly extend your arms back overhead along the floor, letting the towels slide forward, until you return to the starting position.
- 8Repeat for the desired number of reps without losing tension in your core or letting your lower back arch excessively.
Form tips
- Think of your hands as hooks — initiate every rep by driving the elbows, not by pulling with your hands, to keep the lats engaged throughout the movement.
- Press your hips and stomach gently into the floor throughout the set to prevent your lower back from arching as your arms extend overhead.
- Control the return phase as slowly as the pull: resisting the slide back overhead builds more time under tension in the lats.
- Use a hardwood, tile, or vinyl floor for consistent, low friction. Carpet will create too much resistance and break the sliding motion.
- Keep your head neutral — do not crane your neck upward during the pull, as this creates unnecessary cervical tension.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears during the pull, which shifts stress onto the traps and away from the lats and reduces range of motion.
- Letting the lower back arch sharply when the arms extend overhead, which compresses the lumbar spine and removes core stability from the movement.
- Pulling with bent wrists or pushing down with the palms instead of driving the elbows, which reduces lat activation and turns the exercise into a triceps push.
- Rushing the eccentric phase by letting the arms slide forward quickly, which eliminates much of the training stimulus for the lats.
- Placing the towels too far apart, which causes the shoulders to internally rotate and makes it harder to achieve a full lat contraction.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the sliding floor pulldown on towel work?
The primary muscle is the latissimus dorsi. The posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, lower and middle trapezius, and triceps brachii all act as synergists to support the movement.
What kind of floor and towel do I need?
A smooth, hard floor such as hardwood, tile, or vinyl works best. Folded bath towels or small hand towels slide consistently on these surfaces. Avoid carpet, which creates too much friction for the arms to slide freely.
Is this exercise suitable for beginners?
Yes, but it requires basic core control and the ability to maintain a neutral spine in the prone position. Beginners should start with a short range of motion, sliding the arms only partially overhead, and increase range as lat strength and body awareness improve.
How does this compare to a lat pulldown machine?
Both exercises train the same pulling pattern, but the floor version uses bodyweight and friction rather than a cable stack. The resistance is lower and less consistent, making it a useful alternative when equipment is unavailable or as an accessory exercise, though it is harder to progressively overload than a machine.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Two to four sets of 8–15 reps is a practical range. Because the resistance is fixed at bodyweight, focus on slowing down each rep and pausing at peak contraction rather than simply increasing reps to continue making progress.
