Straight Arm Pulldown
Also known as: straight arm lat pulldown, cable straight arm pulldown, straight arm cable pulldown, stiff arm pulldown, standing cable pullover
In SetGrip: Cable Straight Arm Pulldown
Locking your elbows into a soft, fixed bend turns the pulldown into a pure lat movement: the bar sweeps from overhead to your thighs and the biceps never get a chance to take over. Load stays light to moderate for sets of 10 to 15, which makes it a sensible way to groove lat tension early in a back session.
How to do the Straight Arm Pulldown
- Attach a straight bar to the high pulley of a cable machine.
- Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and your palms facing down.
- Engage your lats and pull the bar down towards your thighs, keeping your arms straight throughout the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return the bar to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Pull the elbows toward your hips, not the bar toward your chin.
Muscles worked
Primary
Lats · Back
The lats pull the upper arm down and in, and you should feel a stretch at the top of the rep and a squeeze at the bottom along the sides of the back.
Common mistakes
- Rowing the bar — a slight lean is fine but if the torso swings past 30 degrees you are rowing, not pulling down; sit tall and let the elbows travel straight down.
- Pulling behind the neck by accident — unless you are deliberately training the behind-the-neck version light with good shoulder mobility, bring the bar to the top of the chest and no further.
- Starting with the arms — initiate by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears, then let the elbows follow.
- Stack slamming on the return — control the bar all the way back up until the arms are straight and the lats are stretched.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 6–12 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 12–20 | 60 s |
Pulldowns go after pull-ups or as the main vertical pull if you cannot do pull-ups yet. Superset with a straight arm pulldown or cable row on the same stack.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Straight Arm Pulldown work?
The Straight Arm Pulldown primarily works the lats. It also involves the delts and biceps, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Straight Arm Pulldown good for beginners?
Yes. The Straight Arm Pulldown is rated beginner: it uses a cable and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Straight Arm Pulldown?
If you cannot do the Straight Arm Pulldown, try the Rope Cable Straight Arm Pulldown, the Lat Pulldown or the Underhand Grip Lat Pulldown. Each of them trains the lats through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Straight Arm Pulldown, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.
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