Exercise guide
Cable Standing Lat Pushdown Rope Equipment
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
This isolation movement targets the latissimus dorsi through a full range of shoulder extension, using the rope attachment to allow for a deeper contraction at the bottom of the rep.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Attach a rope to the high pulley of a cable station.
- Grip the ends of the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and step back 2-3 feet.
- Hinge slightly at the hips and soften your knees, keeping your chest up and arms extended in front of you.
- Position your feet shoulder-width apart for a stable base.
How to do it
- Exhale and pull the rope down toward your thighs in a wide arc, keeping a slight, fixed bend in your elbows.
- As the rope reaches your hips, pull the ends of the rope apart toward your sides to maximize the contraction in your lats.
- Inhale and slowly reverse the movement, allowing the cable to pull your arms back up to the starting position over a 3-second count.
- Stop the upward phase when your arms are roughly parallel to your torso to maintain constant tension.
Form checklist
- Keep your elbows locked at a consistent slight angle; do not turn this into a tricep pushdown.
- Maintain a 'proud chest' and keep your shoulders depressed (down away from ears) throughout.
- Avoid using momentum or swinging your torso to move the weight.
- Keep your core braced to prevent your lower back from arching excessively.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'pulling with your elbows' rather than your hands to better isolate the lats and minimize forearm involvement.
- At the bottom of the movement, imagine trying to tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets for peak muscle recruitment.
Make it harder
- Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement with a hard squeeze.
- Perform the eccentric (upward) phase even slower, taking 4-5 seconds to return to the start.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment work?
- The cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment primarily targets the lats and triceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment?
- The cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment uses cable and rope.
- Is the cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment good for beginners?
- The cable standing lat pushdown rope equipment is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.