Cable Pushdown (straight arm) (version 2)

Target muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
Synergist muscles: Deltoid Posterior, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head, Teres Major, Triceps Brachii
Equipment: Cable
Body part: Back
Type: Strength

The straight-arm cable pushdown is a single-joint back exercise that primarily targets the lats (latissimus dorsi), with the rear delts, lower chest, teres major, and triceps assisting. Performed standing at a high cable with the arms kept straight, it isolates the lats and teaches you to drive the movement from the shoulder rather than the elbow.

How to do the Cable Pushdown (straight arm) (version 2)

1Attach a straight or rope handle to a high cable pulley and set a moderate weight.
2Stand facing the machine with feet about hip-width apart, then grip the handle with both hands and step back so the cable stays under tension.
3Hinge slightly at the hips, brace your core, and start with your arms extended forward and up toward the pulley.
4Keeping your arms straight with only a soft bend in the elbows, pull the handle down in an arc toward your thighs by driving your upper arms down and back.
5Squeeze your lats hard at the bottom when the handle reaches the front of your thighs, keeping your shoulders down away from your ears.
6Reverse the arc under control, letting your arms travel back up until you feel a full stretch across your lats.
7Complete your reps, then step in toward the machine to return the weight to the stack safely.

Form tips

Initiate the pull from your shoulders and lats, not your elbows — the elbow angle should stay almost fixed throughout.
Keep a slight forward hinge at the hips so the cable's line of pull matches the path of your arms.
Pause and squeeze for a beat at the bottom to maximize lat contraction before letting the weight rise.
Let the handle pull your arms up into a full stretch each rep, but stay braced so your lower back doesn't overextend.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbows and turning the movement into a triceps pushdown, which shifts work off the lats you are trying to isolate.
Using too much weight and leaning back to heave the handle down, which kills lat tension and strains the lower back.
Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears at the bottom, which recruits the traps and shortens the range of the lats.
Cutting the top of the rep short, which skips the stretch where the lats do much of their work.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the straight-arm cable pushdown work?

It primarily targets the lats (latissimus dorsi), with the rear deltoids, lower chest, teres major, and triceps acting as synergists. It is a back isolation exercise, not a triceps movement.

How is this different from a triceps cable pushdown?

You keep your arms straight and drive the handle down from the shoulder to work the lats. A triceps pushdown bends and extends the elbow with the upper arms fixed, so it trains the triceps instead.

Is the straight-arm cable pushdown good for beginners?

Yes. It is a low-skill isolation move that teaches you to feel your lats, and the cable keeps tension constant. Start light so you can keep your arms straight and move from the shoulders.

How many sets and reps should I do?

Because it isolates the lats, treat it as accessory work: 3 sets of 10–15 reps with a controlled tempo and a squeeze at the bottom works well.