Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) trades complexity for muscle you built on purpose, and it pairs well with a heavy row.
How to do Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)
- Attach a rope to the cable machine at the highest setting.
- Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the rope with both hands, palms facing down.
- Extend your arms fully in front of you, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Engage your lats and slowly pull the rope down towards your thighs, keeping your arms straight.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
Common Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) Mistakes
Standing too near the tower so the first inch is slack
Take a step back until the cable is loaded before you begin.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Cutting range to keep the load climbing
Protect the full range first; the load can wait a session.
Easier and Harder Than Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)
Swap Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) For
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)?
Attach a rope to the cable machine at the highest setting. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the rope with both hands, palms facing down. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) work?
The Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) good for beginners?
Not usually. The Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope) is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier back progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)?
Try the Weighted Muscle Up, Assisted Standing Chin-up or the Kipping Muscle Up. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
