Straight Arm Pull Down

Equipment

Gym Equipment Needed

Muscle Group

Back

Setup

Set a cable pulley to the highest position and attach a straight bar or rope. Choose a light-to-moderate weight you can control without leaning back or turning it into a row. Step back so there’s constant tension at the start.

Starting Position

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Hinge slightly at the hips (small forward lean). Grip the bar/rope with arms straight (soft elbows) in front of you at about chest height. Set your shoulders down and back, brace your core, and keep ribs down. Your arms stay mostly straight—this is a lat isolation movement.

Execution

Inhale and brace. Pull the bar/rope down in a smooth arc toward your thighs by driving your shoulders down and engaging your lats (think “pull with the armpits”). Keep elbows slightly bent but fixed—avoid turning it into an elbow-bending pulldown. At the bottom, finish with hands near your upper thighs and squeeze the lats for a brief pause. Exhale near the bottom. Slowly return to the start under control until you feel a stretch in the lats, keeping shoulders stable and not letting them shrug up. Repeat for the desired reps.

Tips on doing this exercise

Think “shoulders down, hands to thighs” to keep it lat-driven.

Keep elbows softly bent and locked in that angle the entire set.

Use a slow return (2–3 seconds) to feel the lat stretch and maintain tension.

If you feel it in traps, lower the weight and focus on keeping shoulders away from ears.

Great as a warm-up/activation before rows and pulldowns or as a finisher for the lats.

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Common Mistakes

Hypertrophy focus: 3–5 sets of 10–15 reps (strict, constant tension)

Accessory/pump: 2–4 sets of 12–20 reps (lighter, controlled)

Strength-endurance: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps (moderate, still strict)
Rest 45–90 seconds between sets.

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Recommended Ranges