Underhand Cable Pulldowns

What it is

This exercise strengthens your back and arms using a cable machine. You will primarily target your latissimus dorsi, commonly known as lats, which are the large muscles of your upper and mid-back. It also effectively engages your biceps, middle back, and shoulders as secondary movers. This is a compound movement, involving coordination across multiple joints.

Technique tips

• Ensure the knee pads secure your lower body throughout the pull.
• Use an underhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width.
• Lean back around 30 degrees, keeping your chest proud and stable.
• As you exhale, pull the bar down to your upper chest.
• Squeeze your back muscles at the bottom, then slowly return.

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.