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§ L · Exercises · BackUpdated 6/2026

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with rope attachment)

Builds the lats and teaches better shoulder blade control. It helps with pulling strength and 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 and attach the rope handle, take a shoulder-width stance, and hinge slightly at the hips.

  2. 02

    Grip the rope with straight or nearly straight arms, pull your shoulder blades down, and brace your core.

  3. 03

    Pull the rope down toward your thighs while keeping your elbow angle nearly unchanged and your upper arms in front of your torso until you feel your lats contract.

  4. 04

    Pause briefly at the bottom and keep your chest up without arching your lower back.

  5. 05

    Return the rope to the starting position under control and allow your shoulder blades to move upward without letting your shoulders rise toward your ears.

Beginner's guide

§ 03 · Guide
What it works

Builds the lats and teaches better shoulder blade control. It helps with pulling strength and upper body control.

What it should feel like

You should feel it in your lats and under your armpits, not in your biceps, hands, or lower back.

Most common mistake

A common mistake is pulling with the arms or swinging the torso. Keep the elbow angle almost the same and brace your core throughout the movement.

How to get started at the gym

§ 04 · SisuLift

Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with rope attachment) 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

Keep your elbows nearly locked and think of the movement as shoulder extension rather than pulling with your arms. Choose a load that allows you to keep your chest and hips stable without swinging.

A great exercise for the lats because it loads the latissimus dorsi without elbow flexion.

More exercises: Back

§ 06 · Same muscles

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