Straight Arm Pulldown: Proper Form, Muscles Used, & Variations

There are lots of nice workout routines so as to add energy and muscle to the lats. Row variations, chin-ups, and pull-ups will all provide you with wings. Nonetheless, an train that’s usually uncared for however unbelievable for isolating the lats is the straight arm pulldown. Not like most compound lat workout routines, there may be restricted bicep motion, which drives extra activation to the lats.

To finest develop the lats, you want well-rounded again coaching that features horizontal pulls, vertical pulls, and horizontal-vertical pulls (i.e. the machine excessive pull). These are all nice compound workout routines that practice two or extra muscle teams. However, you might be nonetheless lacking pure shoulder extension primarily based actions, which isolate the lats, such because the cable straight arm lat pulldown (FYI some folks name it a straight arm lat pushdown or cable pullover).

The straight-arm lat pulldown is a pure shoulder extension train that lots of lifters miss of their efforts to develop a large again and posterior of metal.

This text will clarify:

• What the straight arm pulldown train is
• The muscle groups the straight arm pulldown trains
• Advantages of including straight arm pulldowns to your train program
• Tips on how to do it with appropriate type
• Frequent errors
• Variations and options of the straight arm pulldown.

Able to construct some wings? Let’s go.

WHAT ARE STRAIGHT ARM LAT PULLDOWNS?

The straight-arm pulldown is a lat pulldown variation with a few necessary variations. With this variation, you’re standing, and your elbows are locked out the whole time. Since you’re standing and never bending your elbows, you’ll take your lats via a bigger vary of movement for higher muscle-building potential and you will not be utilizing your biceps to help the motion.

It’s a terrific train to hone in in your lats.The straight arm pulldown train is as near an isolation train for the lats as there may be.

The one draw back with this lat pulldown variation is there is a low ceiling for load potential. That is actually purely an adjunct motion. 

This train is carried out on a cable machine or lat pulldown machine, and it may be finished with varied attachments to coach the lats from varied angles for higher muscle improvement. You may as well do it from an upright standing place or a barely leaned ahead hip hinge place.

STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS MUSCLES WORKED:

Straight arm pulldown looks like an isolation train to your latissimus dorsi muscle groups (lats) but it surely’s not the one muscle group it really works. There are additionally secondary muscle groups educated with this train that are:

• Latissimus dorsi: That is the fan-like giant muscle situated in your higher, center, and decrease again. The straight arm pulldown focuses on one of many two main capabilities of the lats, shoulder extension.
• Trapezius and rhomboids: Your major higher again muscle between the shoulder blades is concerned as a result of they elevate through the eccentric contraction and retract and depress through the concentric. Pulling your shoulder blades down and again works your decrease and center trapezius and rhomboids.
• Posterior deltoid: The rear delt muscle assists the lats with shoulder extension through the concentric contraction.
• Triceps: The long head of the triceps hooked up to the scapula helps preserve the arm straight (together with the medial and lateral head) and assists the lats throughout shoulder extension.
• Anterior Core: The Rectus abdominis and obliques contract isometrically to maintain your torso inflexible and your backbone impartial to raised isolate the lats.

All that stated, the straight arm pulldown is definitely a lat dominant train and actually as remoted as it’ll get for the lats. The opposite muscle groups that you’re going to actually really feel working throughout this train are your triceps and your abdominals.

BENEFITS OF STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS:

Moreover constructing a terrific set of lats, there are a couple of necessary advantages of performing straight-arm lat pulldowns. And right here they’re:

• Lacking Hyperlink: The straight arm pulldown is a pure shoulder extension motion that lots of lifters neglect to do. As a result of there is no such thing as a elbow flexion this can be a nice “isolation” transfer for higher lat improvement.
• Higher Thoughts-Muscle Connection:  A number of lifters can’t ‘really feel’ their lats with the row or pulldown variations. With the straight arm pulldown, holding your arms straight prevents your biceps from taking on so you’ll be able to higher ‘really feel and focus’ on the lat muscle.
• Hypertrophy: Since you’re standing and never bending the elbows throughout shoulder extension, the lats undergo a bigger vary of movement than commonplace pulldowns for higher muscle progress potential.
• Higher Large 3: The straight-arm pulldown trains the lats precisely in the identical means they’re used when deadlifting – holding the bar near the physique and holding a impartial backbone. Plus, engaged lats preserve the backbone impartial whereas squatting, cease the squat from changing into a very good morning, and a greater bar path whereas bench urgent.
• Biceps Get A Relaxation:  A number of lat workout routines contain elbow flexion and after a couple of lat workout routines chances are you’ll exhaust your biceps and never your lats. Straight arm pulldowns higher isolate your lats with out your biceps. So even when your biceps are drained, you’ll nonetheless be capable of practice your lats.

HOW TO DO STRAIGHT ARM LAT PULLDOWNS:

Like all workout routines, it’s good to do it appropriately to get the very best outcomes. With the straight arm lat pulldown, it’s higher to begin gentle so you’ll be able to grasp it and actually really feel your lats working.

1. Arrange your attachment of alternative (i.e. straight bar, large grip bar, or rope attachment) to a cable or lat pulldown machine and grip the attachment with an overhand (palms dealing with down) or impartial shoulder-width grip (palms dealing with in).
2. Then step again from the machine and straighten your arms. Maintain your chest up and pull your shoulders down and again for higher shoulder positioning. Brace your anterior core. 
3. Hinge your butt again and lean ahead to a 35 to a 45-degree angle, feeling a slight stretch in your lats along with your arms up within the high place.
4. Holding straight arms, pull the bar all the way down to your thighs specializing in pulling your shoulder blades down and again. Pause for a second.
5. Then slowly carry it again up, holding your elbows in place, and lift the bar till you are feeling a stretch in your lats.
6. Repeat for reps. 

COMMON MISTAKES WHEN DOING THE STRAIGHT ARM LAT PULLDOWN:

There’s not a lot to the straight-arm pulldown, appropriate. You retain your arms straight and pull the bar all the way down to your thighs. However there are some things to look out so that you can get the perfect out of this train.

Too A lot Weight: Let’s get the plain over with. Some lifter’s egos get in the way in which due to the diminished load compared to the lat pulldown and go too heavy. Don’t do this since you wish to really feel your lats and never your arms.

Bending The Elbows:  Following on from above when the load is simply too heavy, lifters are inclined to bend their elbows through the straight arm lat pulldown. This takes the main focus of the lats which is the purpose of this train. You need your arms absolutely prolonged, or they are often very barely bent, however they have to keep that very same bend all through. What you wish to keep away from is elbow flexion and extension throughout reps. Maintain your elbow pinned.

Unhealthy Shoulder Positioning: Maintain your shoulder blades down and again in order that your shoulders are packed. It will let you deal with the lats.

Not Utilizing A Full Vary Of Movement: The primary advantage of the straight arm pulldown is that it takes the lats via an even bigger vary of movement for higher good points. And whenever you don’t absolutely stretch your lats on the finish of the motion or pull it all the way down to your thighs, you’re leaving good points on the desk.  

DRAWBACKS:

Straight arm pulldowns are an train with a ton of advantages but it surely’s not a terrific match for everybody. This does trigger some stress on the elbows. So, in the event you’re affected by golf or tennis elbow or sore elbows usually let ache be your information with this train.  

One other downside can be the load potential. You will not ever go tremendous heavy with the straight arm lat pulldown, so to progressive overload, it’s good to use different strategies like growing reps and reducing relaxation time, in addition to incorporate coaching methods reminiscent of drop units. All that stated, you continue to will be capable of improve the load, there may be only a considerably low ceiling for what you can do with correct type.

Although this train could seem strictly hypertrophy targeted, it’s also a typical train included in strength training programs.

VARIATIONS OF CABLE STRAIGHT ARM LAT PULLDOWNS:

The fantastic thing about the straight arm pull in varied attachments is used to coach your again muscle groups from completely different angles and utilizing varied grips.

Listed here are a couple of straight arm pulldown variations for higher selection and good points…

1) Single Arm Lat Pulldown:

Utilizing a stirrup deal with, rope, and even no attachment, you’ll be capable of practice unilaterally to strengthen the imbalance between sides for higher muscle improvement. You’ll be capable of use a impartial, overhand or below grip right here with the underhand grip coaching the decrease trapezius extra.

Tips on how to:

1. Set the pulley to the very best setting on the cable machine. Connect the deal with or simply maintain onto the pulley proper above the carabiner. 
2. Together with your most well-liked grip, pull the deal with all the way down to the skin of your thigh with out bending your elbows, after which pause for a second on the backside. 
3. Slowly return to the beginning place and repeat for desired reps.
4. Then do the opposite aspect. 

Bonus! Attempt to do a lateral straight arm pulldown:

2) Rope Straight Arm Pulldown:



The rope straight arm lat pulldown makes use of a rope attachment which permits a impartial grip. This helps to scale back the stress in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders if this is a matter for you. Having the ability to pull the rope aside on the finish of the motion provides your higher again some love together with the lats.  

You are able to do this with a hip hinge or impartial hips and upright stance. 

Tips on how to:

1. Connect a rope to a cable or lat pulldown machine.
2. Grip the rope with a impartial grip and stroll again till your arms are straight.
3. Arrange and carry out the identical means because the bar straight arm pulldown.
4. On the finish of the motion, pull the rope aside till your really feel an higher again contraction.
5. Slowly return to the beginning place and repeat.

Alternatively, you should utilize a large grip attachment and do large grip straight arm pulldowns to focus on your lats in another way. 

 

3) Straight Arm Resistance Band Pulldown:

When you haven’t obtained entry to a cable or lat pulldown machine, the resistance band pulldown is a superb different. The band stresses your joint rather less, so that you’ll be capable of do extra reps with this variation. The impartial grip is our strongest grip and is simpler on the elbows and shoulders you probably have any points there.

Tips on how to:

1. Connect a looped band up as excessive as you’ll be able to.
2. Grip the band with a impartial grip and stroll again till your arms are straight and shoulder-width aside. 
3. Arrange and carry out as you’ll for the straight arm lat pulldown. 

If you do not have bands, you’ll be able to buy them here from us.



ALTERNATIVES TO CABLE STRAIGHT ARM LAT PULLDOWNS:

When you haven’t entry to a cable or lat pulldown machine, then performing these options will reap all the advantages of the straight arm pullover and extra.

1) Dumbbell Pullover:



The dumbbell pullover trains the lats, sure, but it surely additionally trains the chest too.  When finished with good type it takes your higher physique via a wide range of movement, just like the straight arm pulldown providing you with extra muscle-building potential.

Tips on how to:

1. Mendacity perpendicular on a  bench and your higher again on the bench and holding a dumbbell in each fingers above your chest.
2. Lengthen your hips and interact your glutes to get your physique in a straight line and again impartial. 
3. Holding a slight bend in your elbows, let the dumbbell drift backward behind your head till your really feel a stretch in your pecs and lats.
4. As soon as the dumbbell is behind your head, pull the dumbbell again over your chest.
5. Pause for a second and reset and repeat for reps.

2) Barbell Pullover:



That is carried out with both a barbell or EZ curl bar. An EZ curl bar is a little bit simpler in your elbows, however the barbell permits for extra weight. The broader grip as in comparison with the dumbbell pullover permits some lifters to really feel a greater contraction and stretch of their lats.

Tips on how to:

1. Place a loaded barbell in your thighs whereas sitting on the bench.
2. Then lie down on the bench, press the barbell up above your chest and interact your glutes and abs.
3. Take a barely wider than shoulder-width overhand grip on the barbell.
4. Bend your elbows barely as you decrease the barbell behind your head till you are feeling a stretch in your lats.
5. Pull again to the beginning place over your chest whereas holding your elbows bent all through the whole motion.
6. Reset and repeat. 

3) Excessive Machine Row:



The machine high row does use the biceps, however the angle of this variation places the lats via a wide range of movement just like the straight arm lat pulldown. As a result of your decrease and higher physique are in a set place, this stability means that you can drive extra engagement the place you want it most, the lats.

Tips on how to:

1. Modify the seat peak, thigh pads, and chest pad to fit your physique kind.
2. Arise and grip the handles with an overhand grip. After which sit down along with your legs beneath the thigh pad and chest up towards the chest pad.
3. Begin the train by retracting your scapula after which drive your elbows down and again till the handles attain chest stage.
4. Slowly return to the beginning place and reset and repeat. 

Different Good Alternate options:

• Huge Grip Lat Pulldown
• Huge Grip Pull Ups
• Single Arm Dumbbell Row (to Hip)

ADDING STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWNS TO YOUR BACK WORKOUT

The straight arm lat pulldown is an train lots of lifters miss on the subject of constructing an even bigger again. It’s usually ignored as a result of it isn’t as horny nor do you employ lots of weight as compared with different row variations or pulldown variations. However, this train isolates the lats rather well.

When utilized in mixture with different efficient, compound again workout routines on the finish of your exercise, you’ll absolutely exhaust your lats for higher good points.  

Performing 2-4 units of 8-15 reps of straight arm pulldowns on the finish of your again day will assist provide you with lat muscle groups that appear like wings. And you should definitely change issues up and do completely different variations now and again – straight bar, large bar, rope attachment, and even resistance band pulldowns.