Exercise guide
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown With Rope
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
This isolation movement targets the latissimus dorsi and the long head of the triceps through a large range of motion. Using a rope allows for a deeper contraction at the bottom of the movement by allowing the hands to move past the hips.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Attach a rope to the high pulley and stand facing the machine.
- Grip the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and take two steps back to create tension on the cable.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hinge forward at the hips about 30 degrees.
- Extend your arms forward with a slight bend in the elbows and engage your core.
How to do it
- Exhale as you pull the rope down toward your thighs in a wide arc, keeping your arms locked in that slightly bent position.
- As the rope reaches your thighs, pull the ends of the rope apart toward the sides of your hips to maximize the lat contraction.
- Inhale as you slowly reverse the movement, allowing the weight to return to the starting position over a 3-second count.
- Maintain a proud chest and avoid letting the weight stack touch between reps.
Form checklist
- Keep your shoulders pinned back and down away from your ears.
- Ensure the movement occurs only at the shoulder joint; do not flex or extend the elbows.
- Maintain a stable torso and avoid using momentum or 'crunching' your chest down to move the weight.
- Keep your neck neutral, looking at a point a few feet in front of you on the floor.
Pro tips
- Focus on pulling through your pinkies and driving your elbows toward your hips to better isolate the lats.
- Imagine you are trying to bend the rope around your thighs at the bottom of the movement for peak activation.
- Squeeze your triceps hard at the bottom to engage the long head, which assists in shoulder extension.
Make it harder
- Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement with the rope pulled apart.
- Perform 1.5 reps: pull all the way down, return halfway up, pull back down, then return to the top.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable straight arm pulldown with rope work?
- The cable straight arm pulldown with rope primarily targets the lats, and also works the biceps, rhomboids, and trapezius as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable straight arm pulldown with rope?
- The cable straight arm pulldown with rope uses cable.
- Is the cable straight arm pulldown with rope good for beginners?
- The cable straight arm pulldown with rope is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.