Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown

What it is

This isolation movement uses a cable to specifically engage your latissimus dorsi, commonly known as your lats. It helps build width and thickness in your upper back by focusing on shoulder extension. You'll perform a straight-arm pulling motion to maximize the contraction of these muscles.

Technique tips

• Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Lean forward from your hips, keeping your back naturally straight.
• Focus on driving your elbows down, initiating the pull with your lats.
• Squeeze your latissimus dorsi muscles firmly at the bottom of the pull.
• Control the rope's return, resisting the weight stack’s upward pull.

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.