Exercise guide
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
This isolation exercise targets the latissimus dorsi through a full range of shoulder extension, effectively building back width and mind-muscle connection without bicep involvement. It also heavily engages the long head of the triceps and posterior deltoids to stabilize the movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Attach a straight bar or lat bar to the high pulley of a cable machine.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Step back until your arms are fully extended and hinge forward at the hips about 20-30 degrees.
- Position your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in the knees for stability.
How to do it
- Exhale and pull the bar down toward your thighs in a wide arc, keeping your arms straight with only a micro-bend in the elbows.
- Drive the movement by pulling through the elbows until the bar touches or nears your upper thighs.
- Squeeze your lats forcefully at the bottom of the movement for a one-second peak contraction.
- Inhale and slowly return the bar to the starting position over a 3-second count, maintaining constant tension on the lats.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest up and shoulder blades retracted throughout the entire set.
- Ensure the movement occurs only at the shoulder joint; do not bend or extend the elbows.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid using torso momentum or 'crunching' to move the weight.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position, looking slightly forward and down.
Pro tips
- Imagine you are trying to 'break the bar' across your thighs at the bottom to maximize lat recruitment.
- Focus on pulling with your pinkies and driving your elbows back to better isolate the back muscles from the arms.
Make it harder
- Add a 2-second isometric hold at the bottom of each rep to increase time under tension.
- Use a rope attachment to allow for a greater range of motion past the hips at the end of the movement.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable straight arm pulldown work?
- The cable straight arm pulldown primarily targets the lats, and also works the abs, biceps, rhomboids, serratus anterior, and trapezius as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable straight arm pulldown?
- The cable straight arm pulldown uses cable.
- Is the cable straight arm pulldown good for beginners?
- The cable straight arm pulldown is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.