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Straight-Arm Pulldown

A beginner strength exercise for the lats, done with a cable.

Straight-Arm Pulldown: starting positionStraight-Arm Pulldown: finishing position
Main muscles
Lats
Equipment
Cable
Level
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Movement
Pull

How to do the Straight-Arm Pulldown

  1. You will start by grabbing the wide bar from the top pulley of a pulldown machine and using a wider than shoulder-width pronated (palms down) grip. Step backwards two feet or so.
  2. Bend your torso forward at the waist by around 30-degrees with your arms fully extended in front of you and a slight bend at the elbows. If your arms are not fully extended then you need to step a bit more backwards until they are. Once your arms are fully extended and your torso is slightly bent at the waist, tighten the lats and then you are ready to begin.
  3. While keeping the arms straight, pull the bar down by contracting the lats until your hands are next to the side of the thighs. Breathe out as you perform this step.
  4. While keeping the arms straight, go back to the starting position while breathing in.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Sets and reps

Muscle3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds
Pump or finisher2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45–60 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Straight-Arm Pulldown

Questions

What muscles does the Straight-Arm Pulldown work?

Mainly the lats.

Is the Straight-Arm Pulldown good for beginners?

Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

What can I do instead of the Straight-Arm Pulldown?

Good alternatives that train the lats: Cable Incline Pushdown, Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown, Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown or Kneeling High Pulley Row.

How many sets and reps of the Straight-Arm Pulldown should I do?

Muscle: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds. Pump or finisher: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45–60 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).