Cable Straight-Arm Lat Pushdown
The straight-arm lat pushdown isolates the lats without biceps involvement by keeping the arms nearly locked out. Stand facing a high cable, push the bar down to your thighs in a sweeping arc.
How to Perform
Set a cable to the highest position with a straight bar or rope attachment.
Stand two feet back from the machine, hinge slightly forward at the hips.
With arms nearly straight, push the bar down toward your thighs in an arc.
Squeeze your lats hard at the bottom, then let the bar rise slowly to shoulder height.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Bending the elbows too much, which recruits the triceps and reduces lat isolation.
Standing too close to the machine, limiting the arc and reducing lat stretch at the top.
Using body English to push the weight down instead of contracting the lats.
Muscle Activation
Variations
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