Straight-Arm Pulldown
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1You 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.
- 2Bend 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.
- 3While 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.
- 4While keeping the arms straight, go back to the starting position while breathing in.
- 5Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Straight-Arm Pulldown
The straight-arm pulldown on the high pulley is a lat isolation exercise. Standing facing the machine, torso slightly bent, you lower a bar in an arc with nearly straight arms down to the thighs, keeping the elbows locked. The lack of elbow flexion takes the biceps out of the equation and targets the lats directly, which is rare in back movements where the biceps often fatigue first. Focus on lowering the bar with the lats, without swinging the torso. It is an excellent exercise for 'feeling' the back and a good complement to the big pulls.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleIsolates the lats by removing biceps assistance
- check_circleGreat mind-muscle connection and back warm-up exercise
- check_circleImproves control and lat contraction
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbKeep the arms nearly straight with a slight, fixed elbow bend
- lightbulbSweep the bar down to the thighs by pivoting at the shoulders
- lightbulbLean the torso slightly forward with a braced back
- lightbulbSqueeze the lats at the bottom of the movement
warningCommon mistakes
- warningBending the elbows and turning it into a biceps pull
- warningUsing too heavy a load that breaks form
- warningUsing torso momentum to bring the bar down
- warningRounding the back instead of staying braced
helpFrequently asked questions
What is the straight-arm pulldown for?expand_more
It isolates the lats without working the biceps, ideal for improving mind-muscle connection before heavy pulls.
When should I do the straight-arm pulldown in my workout?expand_more
As a warm-up to activate the back, or at the end as a finisher to exhaust the lats in isolation.
Fully straight arms or slightly bent elbows?expand_more
Keep the elbows slightly bent but fixed throughout: fully locked arms stress the elbows; too bent, the exercise turns into a normal pulldown and the biceps come back. A constant angle is the key.
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