Straight-Arm Lat Pushdown
Straight arms, drive to the thighs. The straight-arm lat pushdown works the lats with the elbows locked, so the biceps never enter the movement at all. Push the bar down to the thighs and keep the arms long. Bending the elbows turns it into a triceps pushdown. Light weight and a locked elbow is the entire technique.
Setup
- Stand facing a high pulley, straight bar, arms extended forward.
- Hinge slightly, soft knees.
How To Do It
- Push the bar down to the thighs with straight arms.
- Squeeze the lats at the bottom.
- Let the bar rise back to shoulder height under control.
Breathing
Exhale as you push down.
Common Mistakes
- Bending the elbows, which makes it a triceps pushdown.
- Standing bolt upright and losing the lat angle.
Programming It
Three sets of 12-20. Light; this is a feel exercise.
Why This Exercise Works
With the elbows locked, the biceps cannot contribute, so the lat has to do the work of pulling the arm down alone. That isolation is the point: it is how you learn what a lat contraction feels like before applying it to pulldowns and rows.
Where You Should Feel It
The lats working with the elbows locked, which removes the biceps entirely. It is a feel exercise. If you cannot feel your lats in a pulldown, this teaches you where they are.
Where It Fits in a Program
Isolates the lats without the biceps ever entering the movement. Accessory work. It follows the compounds rather than competing with them.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the straight-arm lat pushdown: add a small increment while the elbows stay locked. To regress it: reduce the load until the triceps stop taking over.
Who It's For
Anyone whose back work is all biceps. Light weight and a locked elbow is the whole technique.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a cable and a bar. Substitute a band at the same anchor height, or take a free-weight version from the list below and accept losing the tension at the end range.
Related Exercises
- Single-Arm Cable Row · Lats, Mid-Back
- Neutral-Grip Pulldown · Lats, Back, Biceps
- Straight-Arm Pulldown · Lats
- Meadows Row · Lats, Upper Back
- Lat Pulldown · Lats, Back, Biceps
- Dumbbell Pullover · Lats, Chest, Serratus
- Seated Cable Row · Mid-Back, Lats, Biceps
- Chin-Up · Lats, Biceps, Back
Common Questions
What muscles does the straight-arm lat pushdown work?
The straight-arm lat pushdown primarily trains the lats.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 12-20. Light; this is a feel exercise.
What are the most common straight-arm lat pushdown mistakes?
Most often: bending the elbows, which makes it a triceps pushdown; standing bolt upright and losing the lat angle.
Do I need a cable and a bar to do this?
This version uses a cable and a bar, and it trains the lats. A band gets you most of the way here. The resistance curve differs, but the line of pull, which is the point, is the same.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The straight-arm lat pushdown puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.