Back · Lats · Cable
Straight-Arm Pulldown
The straight-arm pulldown is a cable exercise in which the arms stay straight and sweep a bar from overhead down to the thighs. It isolates the lats without the biceps, which makes it useful as a warm-up for pull-ups or as a finisher on a back day.
How to
Cable- 1 Stand facing a high pulley, arms straight.
- 2 Sweep the bar down to the thighs.
- 3 Raise back overhead without bending elbows.
Tips
- Hinge forward a little so the arms move in a long arc.
- Keep a slight bend in the elbows and do not change it.
- A rope lets the hands finish beside the thighs.
Common mistakes
- Bending the elbows and pressing the bar down.
- Rounding the back and crunching the abs to move the weight.
- Letting the bar pull the arms up past the head.
Muscles worked
Main
- Lats
Also working
- Long head of the triceps
- Rear delts
- Abs, which keep the ribs down
Breathing and bracing
Breathe out as the bar sweeps down, breathe in as it rises.
Sets and reps
- Muscle size
- 3 sets of 10–15 reps, 1–1.5 min rest
- Where it fits
- Before pull-ups as a warm-up, or at the end of a back session
Setup
- 1 Attach a straight bar or a rope to a high pulley.
- 2 Stand facing it a step or two back and grip the bar about shoulder-width.
- 3 Hinge forward slightly with soft knees.
- 4 Start with the arms straight and the bar at about head height.
Technique in detail
- Sweep the bar down in an arc to the thighs with straight arms.
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in the elbows.
- Squeeze the lats at the bottom for a moment.
- Let the bar rise slowly until the lats are stretched.
- Keep the torso angle the same; do not crunch down.
In these plans
Not part of a built-in plan. Add it to any workout from the exercise picker.
Variations and alternatives
Questions
Straight bar or rope?
A rope lets the hands finish beside the thighs for a slightly longer range; a bar feels more stable.
Why don't I feel my lats?
Lighten the weight and think of pushing the bar down with the armpits, not the hands.
Is it the same as a pullover?
The movement is similar. The dumbbell pullover is done lying on a bench and loads the stretch more; the cable keeps tension at the bottom.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Straight-Arm Pulldown to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.