Exercise · vertical pull
Straight-arm pulldown
Straight-arm pulldown is a beginner-friendly vertical pull movement that trains lats, done with a cable stack or a resistance band. It's an isolation-style movement — useful for targeted work once the bigger compound lifts are done. Typical rep range is 12–15 reps, tempo 1-1-2.
The most common mistake is bending the elbows and turning it into a pushdown. If a cable stack or a resistance band or the movement itself doesn't suit you, Lat pulldown or Dumbbell pullover or Band lat pulldown cover the same pattern. It's usually held back for shoulder issues — a coach or the substitution list is the safer route on a flare-up.
Form cues
| # | English | हिंदी |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bar at the high pulley, slight hinge, arms nearly straight | बार ऊपर की पुली पर, थोड़ा झुको, हाथ लगभग सीधे |
| 2 | Sweep the bar down to the thighs, squeeze the lats | बार जांघों तक नीचे, लैट्स दबाओ |
| 3 | Return slowly to a stretch overhead | धीरे ऊपर स्ट्रेच तक |
Equipment & who it fits
Needs a cable stack or a resistance band, rated beginner, held back for shoulder issues. Search "straight arm pulldown" for a form video.
Substitutes
Programs that use this pattern
Questions people ask
- What muscles does Straight-arm pulldown work?
- Straight-arm pulldown primarily trains lats, using a vertical pull pattern with a cable stack or a resistance band.
- What's the most common mistake with Straight-arm pulldown?
- Bending the elbows and turning it into a pushdown
- What can I do instead of Straight-arm pulldown?
- The closest substitutes in this database are lat pulldown, dumbbell pullover, band lat pulldown, which train the same pattern with different equipment.