Straight-Arm Pulldown

The technique.

1. 01

   Attach a straight bar or rope to a high cable pulley.

2. 02

   Stand facing the machine, feet shoulder-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees.

3. 03

   Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, arms extended, and a slight bend in your elbows.

4. 04

   Keeping your arms straight, pull the bar down towards your thighs, engaging your lats.

5. 05

   Squeeze your lats at the bottom, then slowly return the bar to the starting position.

What goes wrong.

• ×Bending the elbows too much, turning it into a triceps extension.
• ×Using too much weight, leading to excessive body swing.
• ×Shrugging shoulders up to your ears, reducing lat isolation.
• ×Not achieving a full stretch at the top or a full squeeze at the bottom.
• ×Rounding the back or leaning back too far, reducing stability.