Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with rope)
- Músculo objetivo
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Músculos sinergistas
- Deltoid Posterior, Teres Major, Triceps Brachii
- Equipamiento
- Cable
- Parte del cuerpo
- Back
- Tipo
- Strength
The cable straight arm pulldown (with rope) is an isolation exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi while keeping the arms nearly straight, with the rear deltoids, teres major, and triceps assisting. Because the movement hinges at the shoulders rather than the elbows, it trains the lats through a long range without the biceps taking over — making it a useful finisher or pre-fatigue move for back day.
Cómo hacer el Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with rope)
- 1Set the cable pulley to the highest position and attach a rope handle.
- 2Grip the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and step back so the cable is taut, then hinge slightly forward at the hips with a flat back and a soft bend in your knees.
- 3Start with your arms extended overhead toward the pulley and brace your core.
- 4Keeping your elbows nearly straight, pull the rope down in an arc by driving your hands toward your thighs and squeezing your lats.
- 5Pull until your hands reach the front of your thighs and let the rope split slightly, holding the contracted position for a moment.
- 6Slowly reverse the motion, letting your arms travel back overhead under control until you feel a full stretch in your lats.
- 7Complete your reps, then step forward to return the weight to the stack.
Consejos de técnica
- Initiate the movement from your shoulders and lats, not your hands — think about pushing your arms down rather than pulling with your arms.
- Maintain only a slight, fixed bend in your elbows for the whole set; locking and unlocking the elbows turns this into a triceps pushdown.
- Keep your chest up and back flat throughout to keep tension on the lats and protect your spine.
- Use a lighter weight than you would on a lat pulldown — this is an isolation move where control beats load.
Errores comunes
- Bending and straightening the elbows during the rep, which shifts the work to the triceps and removes tension from the lats.
- Using too much weight and leaning back or rocking the torso to swing the rope down, which kills lat isolation and strains the lower back.
- Rounding the back at the bottom, which reduces lat engagement and puts the spine at risk under load.
- Cutting the range short and not letting the arms travel fully overhead, which skips the deep lat stretch that makes this exercise effective.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the cable straight arm pulldown work?
It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi (lats), with the rear deltoids, teres major, and triceps assisting as synergists.
How is the straight arm pulldown different from a lat pulldown?
The lat pulldown bends at the elbow and involves the biceps heavily, while the straight arm pulldown keeps the arms nearly straight and hinges at the shoulders, isolating the lats with far less arm involvement.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because it's an isolation movement, 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with a moderate, controlled weight works well, often as a back-day finisher or warm-up.
Should my arms stay completely straight?
Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows to protect the joint, but avoid actively bending and extending them — the arms should move as a single lever from the shoulders.
