PlanWorkouts

Exercise 0238 · REF x69MAlq

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown exercise animation

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown

Category
Back
Equipment
Cable
Target
Lats

The straight-arm pulldown isolates the lats without any bicep assistance, since the elbows barely bend through the movement — it's essentially a controlled arc from overhead down to the thighs. It's a useful lat exercise for anyone whose biceps tend to take over during a standard pulldown or row. Hinging slightly at the hips as the bar comes down helps keep the lats doing the work instead of the shoulders.

How to Do the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown

  1. Attach a straight bar to the high pulley of a cable machine.
  2. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing down.
  4. Engage your lats and pull the bar down towards your thighs, keeping your arms straight throughout the movement.
  5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return the bar to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

The Cable Straight Arm Pulldown primarily targets the Lats, with Shoulders as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Biceps.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Lats Exercises

Back Pec Stretch Back Pec Stretch Body Weight · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band · Lats Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band · Lats

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have cable? These target the same lats with different equipment.

Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell · Lats

FAQ

What muscles does the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown work?
The Cable Straight Arm Pulldown primarily targets the lats, with the shoulders and biceps assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown?
The Cable Straight Arm Pulldown is done with a cable.
What's a good alternative to the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown?
If you don't have access to a cable, the Archer Pull Up targets the same lats using body weight instead.