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§ L · Exercises · BackUpdated 6/2026

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown

This move builds your lats and teaches you to use them well. That carries over to stronger pulling exercises and better upper body control.

Muscle group
Back
Equipment
Cable
Exercise type
Isolation
Technique
Basic technique

Muscles worked

§ 01 · Muscles
Primary muscle
Back
Supporting muscles
TricepsShoulders

How to perform

§ 02 · Steps
  1. 01

    Stand in front of the high cable pulley and set it to the highest position, hinge slightly at the hips, and brace your core.

  2. 02

    Grip the straight bar or rope attachment with a shoulder-width grip, keep your arms nearly straight, and pull your shoulder blades back and down.

  3. 03

    Pull the attachment down in an arc toward your thighs, keeping your elbow angle nearly unchanged, and feel the contraction in your lats.

  4. 04

    Pause briefly at the bottom under control without swinging your body.

  5. 05

    Return the attachment upward slowly and under control into the stretch, keeping your chest up and your core braced.

Beginner's guide

§ 03 · Guide
What it works

This move builds your lats and teaches you to use them well. That carries over to stronger pulling exercises and better upper body control.

What it should feel like

You should feel it in your lats, especially under the armpits. It should not be felt mostly in your biceps, hands, or lower back.

Most common mistake

A common mistake is swinging the weight with your hips or bending your elbows too much. Brace your core and keep your arms nearly straight throughout the movement.

How to get started at the gym

§ 04 · SisuLift

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown is ready to go in the SisuLift exercise library. The app builds you a program, suggests starting weights and shows this same animation during your workout at the gym.

  • ·A ready training program based on your goal
  • ·Starting weight suggestions and automatic progression
  • ·Set logging and rest timer at the gym
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
SisuLift app workout view

Tips

§ 05 · Tips

Maintain the same hip hinge throughout the reps and avoid swinging the weight with your hips. Think about driving the attachment down with your armpits and keep your wrists neutral.

A great exercise for the lats when you want to target them without significant elbow flexion.

More exercises: Back

§ 06 · Same muscles

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