One Arm Lat Pulldown

What it is

This exercise effectively strengthens your latissimus dorsi, the large muscles along the sides of your back. You'll perform it on a cable machine to build overall back width and improve posture. Your biceps and middle back also assist significantly in the pulling motion.

Technique tips

• Secure your knees under the pad for stability.
• Use a pronated (overhand) grip on the handle.
• Initiate the pull by driving your elbow down.
• Squeeze your latissimus dorsi at the bottom.
• Control the weight slowly on the way up.
• Keep tension; avoid letting the weight stack touch.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.