The Straight Arm Pulldown is a beginner cable straight-arm pulldown that primarily trains the lats, with the abs and triceps assisting. It is useful for isolating the lats with shoulder extension and minimal elbow flexion.
Primary muscles
lats
Secondary muscles
abs, triceps
Equipment
cable
Difficulty
beginner
TARGET AREA
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
lats
Secondary muscles
abs, triceps
THE MOVEMENT
How to perform
Set a straight bar or rope on a high cable and step back into a stable stance.
Hinge slightly, brace the torso, and keep a soft but nearly fixed elbow angle.
Sweep the attachment down toward the thighs by extending the shoulders.
Return slowly overhead until the lats are stretched without letting the ribs flare.
IRONYOU / CORE
Core cues
Keep a soft but nearly fixed elbow angle throughout the rep.
Brace the torso and sweep the arms down toward the thighs.
Let the lats lengthen at the top without losing ribcage control.
STAY SHARP
Common mistakes
Turning the movement into a triceps pushdown by bending and straightening the elbows.
Using torso momentum to move the cable.
Stopping the return too early and missing the stretched position.
YOUR PROGRESS
Your strength
Use your best set to calculate your current IronYou rank and see what comes next.
IRONYOU RANK CALCULATOR
127 exercises. One ladder. Your first rank is free.
Published reference points from the production IronYou rank system.
IronYou has 13 strength ranks: Copper I–III → Silver I–III → Gold I–III → Titanium I–III → IRON. IRON is the highest IronYou rank. The public standards tables show the estimated 1RM required to enter Silver I, Gold I, Titanium I, and IRON. Standards vary by sex and bodyweight.
Logged load: machine or cable stack load. Public value: total stack/load.
Straight Arm Pulldown Strength Standards — Male
Male
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Straight Arm Pulldown estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Male.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
50 kg
34.6 kg
45.9 kg
57.1 kg
80.5 kg
60 kg
38.4 kg
50.8 kg
63.3 kg
89.2 kg
70 kg
41.8 kg
55.3 kg
68.8 kg
97.1 kg
80 kg
44.8 kg
59.3 kg
73.9 kg
104.2 kg
90 kg
47.6 kg
63 kg
78.4 kg
110.6 kg
100 kg
50.1 kg
66.3 kg
82.6 kg
116.4 kg
110 kg
52.3 kg
69.3 kg
86.3 kg
121.6 kg
120 kg
54.4 kg
72 kg
89.6 kg
126.4 kg
Straight Arm Pulldown Strength Standards — Female
Female
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Straight Arm Pulldown estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Female.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
40 kg
17.3 kg
22.9 kg
28.6 kg
40.3 kg
50 kg
23.1 kg
30.6 kg
38.1 kg
53.7 kg
60 kg
26.7 kg
35.4 kg
44 kg
62.1 kg
70 kg
28.9 kg
38.3 kg
47.7 kg
67.3 kg
80 kg
30.3 kg
40.2 kg
50 kg
70.5 kg
90 kg
31.2 kg
41.3 kg
51.5 kg
72.6 kg
100 kg
31.8 kg
42.1 kg
52.4 kg
73.8 kg
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
Values are estimated 1RM thresholds required to enter the named IronYou major rank tier.
Standards are derived from the production IronYou Rank V1 model.
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
KEEP EXPLORING
Variations
Related variations: Overhand Pull-Up, Overhand Lat Pulldown, and Assisted Pull-Up.
Choose the version that matches your equipment, joint comfort, and the movement you can repeat consistently.
EARLY ACCESS
Track Straight Arm Pulldown in IronYou.
Keep your last session, progress and next target with you when you train.