Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown

Lats, TricepsCable, Rope Attachment

The rope straight-arm pulldown is an isolation vertical pull that directly targets the lats. Using a rope allows your hands to sweep past your hips at the bottom for a greater contraction. Because your arms go overhead, controlling your shoulder blades is essential.

How to do it

1Attach a rope to the high pulley, grab it with an overhand grip, and step back.

2Hinge slightly forward at your hips, fix a slight bend in your elbows, and pull your shoulders down.

3Sweep the rope down toward your thighs in a wide arc using your lats.

4At the bottom, split the rope handles apart beside your thighs for maximum lat contraction.

5Control the handle back up above head level, feeling a deep stretch through your back.

Common mistakes

Bending and extending your elbows shifts the work from your back to your triceps.

Swinging your torso uses momentum instead of muscle power to move the weight.

Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears overloads your upper traps and restricts your shoulder blades.

Breathing

Inhale as you let the rope rise to stretch your lats. Exhale as you pull the handles down to your thighs.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, lighten the weight and lower the height of your lift.

To make it harder, hold a peak contraction at your thighs for one to two seconds.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.