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Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown

The Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your lats. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 29%, lats (lower) 25% and triceps (long head) 11%.

Level: BeginnerEquipment: CableSingle-joint (isolation)Unilateral: one arm or leg at a time
Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown demonstration

How to do it

  1. Set a pulley at the top of the station and clip on a single handle.
  2. Grip the handle with one hand, step back and hinge forward slightly with soft knees.
  3. Raise the working arm toward the pulley, elbow almost straight, free hand on your hip.
  4. Pull the handle down in an arc until your hand is beside your hip.
  5. Let the arm rise slowly back to the start, then switch sides after the set.

Tips

  • Finish with the hand slightly behind the hip for a stronger lat contraction.
  • Keep the hips and shoulders square to the machine.

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the torso to help the arm down.
  • Letting the shoulder roll forward at the top.
  • Bending the elbow as the handle comes down.

Muscles worked by the Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown

  • Lats (upper) Primary29%
  • Lats (lower) Primary25%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary11%
  • Rear delts Secondary7%
  • Lower chest Minor6%
  • Lower traps Minor6%
  • Obliques Minor4%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer4%
  • Rhomboids Stabilizer4%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer4%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

One arm at a time. With the elbows locked, shoulder extension isolates the lats and the long head of the triceps; lying pullovers bring the sternal pec in strongly.

Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown work?

Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The triceps (long head) and rear delts assist.

Is the Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown good for beginners?

Yes. The Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown?

For example the Band Straight Arm Pulldown, Machine Lat Pullover and Cable Lat Pullover. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Single Arm Straight Arm Pulldown harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Lat Prayer and Barbell Pull Over.

Sources

  • Marchetti and Uchida 2011, J Appl Biomech 27(4):380-384 (pullover, pec and lats)

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