Back
Straight-Arm Pulldown
You sweep the bar down in an arc with straight arms: your lats work alone, with no help from your biceps.
Also known as: cable pullover, straight-arm lat pulldown
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Cable Machine
- Type
- Isolation
How to do it
- Hold a straight bar or rope on a high pulley, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Step back and hinge forward with your arms extended and elbows just softly bent.
- Sweep the bar down in an arc to your thighs, squeezing your lats.
- Let it rise slowly until your arms are level with your head.
Form cues
- Your elbow angle doesn't change during the rep.
- Keep your shoulders down; think about tucking your armpits.
- Only your arms move; your torso stays still.
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows to move more weight: triceps and biceps take over.
- Rocking your torso up and down: your lats lose tension.
- Shrugging at the top: keep your shoulder blades down.
Sets and reps
3 sets of 12-15 reps with 60 seconds of rest, at the end of a back session or as activation before pull-ups.
FAQ
What does the straight-arm pulldown do?
It isolates the lats without arm help. It's great for learning to feel your back and adding volume without tiring your biceps.
Bar or rope?
The bar is more stable; the rope lets your hands travel further back at the end.
Is it the same as a pullover?
It's very close: the same shoulder movement, with cable tension instead of a dumbbell.
What muscles do the straight-arm pulldown work?
They mainly work the lats, with help from the rear delts and the triceps.
Train with Nuvana
Add the straight-arm pulldown to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
