Straight arm pulldown? The Ultimate Guide

Straight arm pulldown? Exercising daily is very important to keep your body healthy. This sharpens your mind and keeps you full of positive energy throughout the day.

But in today’s era due to our hectic lifestyles, people are unable to find adequate time for daily exercise and because of this they either go to the gym occasionally or exercise for some time after their working hours. Exercising in this way greatly increases the risk of injury, muscle pain, body stiffness as well and a sedentary lifestyle.

Due to sitting in the same place throughout the day and sitting in the wrong way, your muscles start weakening. This is one of the main reasons for getting injured while working out.

Apart from this, people also get hurt due to their desire to get better results in less time and they push their bodies way too much just to get into a certain figure. Stressing over weight loss or going harsh on your body can have adverse effects that many people fail to understand.

You need to understand that if you have gained so much weight then it will not be able to end in a single day. In this article, We will be discussing in detail the straight-arm pulldown exercise which is one of the most convenient and popular exercises of all time.

Table of Contents

Straight arm lat pulldown overview-

The straight arm pulldown Exercise is also popularly known as the “straight arm Lat pulldown” which is an isolation exercise that mostly targets all those muscle groups in your arms, shoulders, and upper back.

Lat Pulldown Workout:

The Right Way, Types, Benefits, and Mistakes to Avoid –

Back muscles help a lot in lifting any item or doing other daily tasks. Everyone should focus on strengthening the back, and hence one must do those exercises that help increase muscle strength.

The upper back and middle back help a lot in stabilizing the joints of the shoulder muscles, and if your shoulders are strong and stable, you can lift heavy weights.

The most commonly done exercise to train back muscles is the straight arm pulldown or the “Lat Pulldown” exercise.

Along with a strong chest, a strong back is also very important. For this, you also have to include the lat pulldown exercise in your workout in the right way.

So let’s know the right way to do lat pulldown and all the information provided further in this article will help you a lot in doing this exercise.

What is the Lat Pulldown Exercise?

The lat pulldown exercise is primarily for the lats (Wings). But at the same time, it trains the upper back, and middle back as well.

This is a bridge exercise that is considered the best exercise to increase the size of the Latissimus Dorsi muscles (which increases the width of the back).

To do this exercise, you have to sit on the machine and hold its handle/barbell at some distance from your shoulder. Then slowly pull it down and bring it to the front of your upper chest/chin.

Keep in mind that breathing has a very important role to play in this exercise, so while pulling the weight down, make sure to inhale and exhale while leaving it up. Then slowly release the barbell upwards. Keep in mind that as you pull and release the weights slowly and steadily.

Primarily it is recommended to Start with low weights at first and gradually increase the weights. Do 10-12 reps in each set and take 30 seconds to rest in between each set.

Benefits Of Lat Pulldown Exercise

The lat pulldown exercise is great for the wings, which helps in widening your back.
With this exercise, you can train the back muscles separately without giving a load on the biceps or triceps.
This strengthens your back muscles and helps a lot in bridge activities.
It is considered to be an Ideal exercise for weight lifters.
Due to this, your wing’s muscles train, and their size increases which in turn improves your figure and posture.

Mistakes During Lat Pulldown-

As a beginner, there are high chances that you can make certain mistakes while doing this exercise. Hence it is important to understand what mistakes you must avoid if you are doing the Lat pulldown exercise.

If you keep these things in mind while doing this exercise, you can get very good results.

Mistakes to avoid-

Do not try to lift heavy weights in the beginning. Practice with low weights first and then try lifting heavy weights.
Do not overuse the forearms while doing the bridge. Always try to apply strength from your wings and shoulders.
Do not bend the elbows backward or forwards, otherwise, their joints may become painful.
Do the exercise slowly while feeling it. If you do this quickly, then the load will not come on the muscles.

Beginners should always start with light weights and work out under a trainer. If you feel any muscle strain or pain, then consult a specialist immediately regarding the same.

Machine / Equipment for Lat Pulldown-

There is a special machine for doing straight-arm pulldowns. These 2 exercises can also be done with this machine.

Seated Cable Row
Close Grip Lat Pulldown

This is also meant to tone the back muscles.

Types Of Lat Pulldown-

The most commonly used variation is the “wide-grip lat pull-down” but it can be done in many other ways as well such as –

Underhand lat pull-down
Unilateral lat pull-down
Straight-arm lat pull-down
Close-grip lat pull-down

Lat Pulldown Vs. straight-arm pulldown

Throughout the article, we discuss the Lat pulldown exercises and their details which can make you wonder whether these exercises are distinct from each other or if they are exactly the same.

Well, let us clear this confusion for you!

Although both exercises help in activating the same buses specifically the upper body parts, however, the Lat pulldown exercise activates your trapezius muscles and biceps. On the other hand, the straight-arm pulldown exercise usually engages your core.

Importance of straight arm pulldown exercise for women-

Heads turn when you step into that backless little black dress, isn’t it?

Every woman has a backless dress in her closet that she is probably unable to wear because of the excessive fat on her skin that just doesn’t look attractive or go with your overall backless dress look.

Here’s where the straight arm put down exercise comes into the picture as it can help you to get rid of the back fat and enable you to slide into your favorite dress.

Just don’t go too hard or overboard with your body with any form of workout, do it in moderation every day, and gradually you will see results and changes in your body.

How to do the Straight-arm pulldown at home?

Well, many people think that you can only do the straight arm pulldown exercise in the gym in front of a professional trainer however that’s not true! You can also do this exercise at home. Just follow the below-mentioned instructions in order to do the exercise at home-

In the first step, you just have to stand in a way that you are in front of the machine under which one of your feet is in front and the other one at the back to maintain stability.

Once you do that you have to hold the bar with utmost grape just similar to the traditional lat pulldown. Make sure that you are flexible in bending as in this process your elbows need to be bent 30 degrees throughout the process.

As you move forward to the next step you have to exhale and pull your bar in a downward direction so that your palms face the wall that is behind you.

Once you do the second step the last step is to inhale and then return to the starting position.

Things to keep in mind while doing the straight-arm pulldown-

You are some tips to know before you do the exercise-

Warmup: Never forget to warm up for 10 minutes before starting the exercise and likewise give rest to the body for about 10 minutes after finishing the exercise. Warming up prepares your body to exercise.

Due to this, the stiffness of muscles and joints ends and the heart rate gradually increases. It is also enough to run at a slow pace for 5-10 minutes to warm up. Similarly, after finishing the exercise, rest for 5-10 minutes so that your heartbeat becomes normal. After working out, you can relax by taking a leisurely walk for 5-10 minutes.

Stretching: Many people complain that after returning from the gym, their body keeps on hurting a lot. Basically, this pain occurs in the muscles of the body and this happens because many people do not do stretching before starting the exercise. It is very important to do stretching before and after doing any exercise, it gives flexibility to your muscles so that there is no pain after exercising.
Do it comfortably: While exercising, always keep in mind that you should do it according to your physical ability. Many times people start exercising more than their capacity after seeing someone else in the gym or in a hurry and because of this, their body starts experiencing severe pain.

Exercise for a while in the beginning and increase the intensity of the exercise as your capacity increases. By doing this you will not feel any pain and you will start seeing good results in a few days.

Give full nutrition to the body: Exercising alone is not enough, but it is equally important to take care of the nutrition of the body it. So drink plenty of water before, during, and after a workout. After returning from the gym, eat things rich in proteins and carbohydrates, so that the body gets enough energy.

Take a break: If you exercise daily or go to the gym, take one or two days off in a week and rest. This gives your body a rest and the body prepares itself for the next workout. Despite adopting all the above-mentioned measures, you can still get hurt during a workout, hence in such a situation get yourself treated immediately.

What to do if you get hurt during the workout?

If you get any injury during exercise, then you can easily fix your injury in the following ways-

Rest: Give rest to the part that is injured. This does not aggravate the problem anymore.
Icing: Ice works very effectively in providing relief from the pain of injury caused while doing sports or exercise. Rubbing ice on the painful area reduces the swelling of that area and gives instant relief from pain due to reduced blood flow. Never apply hot compresses to the injured area as it can increase swelling and cause more bleeding.
Compression: This technique is also very effective in reducing the swelling caused by the injury. In this process, a bandage is tied tightly on the injured area, due to which the swelling starts to decrease, these bandages also work in the same way as ice.
Elevating the injury site: This technique is also used to repair the injury caused by the workout. In this, the injured part of the body is kept at a slightly higher height than the chest. As you sprain your ankles, put some pillows under your feet lift them up, and lie down.

Most injuries are cured by these four methods mentioned above, but if you have any serious injuries then you should contact the doctor.

Take special care of your diet while treating the injury. Include plenty of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fresh fruit, and raw vegetable juices in your diet so that you get enough vitamins and essential enzymes. Keep in mind that it is very important to do daily workouts and it is equally important to take care of yourself.

Straight Arm Pulldowns Vs. Standing Pulldown

Your body position during the exercise is slightly awkward as you focus on maintaining your balance and posture and avoid jerking your legs as you lower the weight stack, an effective workout for all target muscles.

Pulldowns are best performed sitting down, with the pads across your thighs to ensure you don’t stack the weights and position your body optimally so that you focus primarily on the target muscles.

Performing the neutral grip straight arm pulldown –

To perform the neutral grip straight-arm pulldown, hold the bar on a high pulley station with an overhand grip. Step back from the station and step one foot slightly behind the other.

Bend your knees and lean forward slightly, pushing your hips back. Keep your back straight, and pull your shoulders back and your chest out. Bend your elbows slightly and keep them flexible throughout the exercise.

Exhale, as you pull the bar down until it touches your thighs and your upper arms, are next to you. Inhale and return the bar to its starting position just above your head. Maintain tension in your glutes by not letting the weight stack relax.

Straight-arm pulldown ideas –

The straight-arm pulldown is a single-joint isolation movement that specifically targets your lats, and the flat bench is the cable equivalent of the dumbbell pullover. Different from standing pulldowns, straight-arm pulldowns work your lats without engaging the biceps, though your triceps and pectorals assist the movement. Do not use heavyweights in this exercise. On the upward phase of the movement, focus on stretching your lats and curling them down.

Lat Pull-Down Workout (with a close grip ):

Correct Way, Types, Benefits, and Mistakes to avoid while exercising-

Back muscles are a very large body part. It is divided into 3 parts in the fitness industry.

Upper Back
Middle Back
Lower Back

Similarly, the exercises to train the back are also different. These exercises help in increasing the size, strength, and strength of the back.

To get a strong back, you have to do different forms of exercise.

Lat Pulldown Exercise
Bent-Over Row Exercise
Seated Cable Row Exercise
Deadlift Exercise

To widen the back, this exercise should be included in your workout plan. That’s why today we will tell you the right way, advantages, and mistakes while doing the close grip lat pull-down exercise.

What is a Close Grip Lat Pull-down Exercise?

The close grip lat pulldown is a pull exercise like other back exercises. It is also called reverse grip lat pull-down.

This tones the lat muscles of the back. This muscle is also known as the Latissimus Dorsi Muscle. This is the same V-shaped muscle that connects your hands to the vertebral column.

It gives strength to the back and provides support to the spine. Therefore, with this exercise, you can tone the lat muscles.

Machine / Equipment for Close Grip Lat Pulldown-

For this exercise, you can use a cable station or a machine that performs the lat pull-down exercise.

Other back exercises can also be done with this machine. like,

Seated Cable Row
Lat Pulldown
Single-arm seated cable row
The wide grip lat pulldown exercise

Types Of Close Grip Lat Pulldown –

There are many variations of the close grip lat pull-down exercise. If you want, you can also try the variations below mentioned. However according to their grip, the muscle target also changes.

Lat Pulldown
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Outer Back Exercises

You can also do this exercise with the handle and grip mentioned below-

Double D Handle
Cable Handle
Triceps Rope
Straight Bar

How to do a close grip lat pulldown?

Before doing the close-grip lat pull-down exercise, watch the video above and then start doing it so that you have a basic knowledge of it.

To do this, sit on the lat pulldown machine and press your knees under the foam roller in front. So that you can balance the body while bringing the weight down.

Now hold any grip at shoulder width as per your convenience and get ready to keep the lower back straight.

Pull the weight down with the hands, bringing it under the chin up to the upper chest, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly release it upwards.

After that, let the handle go up till there is a slight stretch on your lats.

This will be called 1 rep until you come to the starting position. Similarly, apply reps and sets of exercises according to your trainer.

Benefits Of close grip lat pulldown

Doing the close-grip lat pull-down exercise creates a lot of tension on your lats. This gives shape to your back.
This exercise is very easy to do and learn. So even beginners can do it.
This creates tension on your lats and middle back. Therefore, a heavyweight can also be lifted in it.
By doing this, the shape that your back gets, due to which the fitting of your clothes is good.
This strengthens your back muscles and helps with activities that require pulling.

Mistakes during close grip lat pulldown –

Most people lean backward while doing this exercise, which is wrong. Therefore, while doing this, keep the abdominal muscles tight so that you do not bend backward while bringing the weight.

Some people do this exercise very often, due to which the muscle contraction is not correct. Avoid doing this.

Lifting heavy weights can lead to injury. Therefore, lift weights only after seeing your fitness level and ability.

If you feel that more load is coming on your biceps then it means that you have not held the grip properly. So definitely ask your trainer about this.

While pulling the weight, many people tilt their head forward, which puts force on the neck, to avoid doing so.

Many people use more shoulders and elbows while bringing down the weight. Which is wrong. That’s why you always pull on your lats while feeling the weight

Always start this exercise with lightweight. Be sure to add this exercise to your workout plan. If you feel any muscle strain or pain, tell the trainer immediately.

Why is stretching necessary prior to the lat pulldown exercise, and how does it benefit?

Stretching increases flexibility and makes the joints capable of a full rotation. Stretching is very important to increase the flexibility and movement of the body and protect it from injury. Incorporating stretching into your routine is just as important as doing regular workouts. Even if you go to the gym regularly, do stretching, it will give relaxation to the muscles. Like other exercises, stretching also has some rules.

When and how should I do stretching?

You can stretch your muscles at any time during the day. Just see that you should get some space to fully extend your arms and legs. Stretching can also be done when you wake up or before going to sleep or during a break from work. Yoga Asanas or Surya Namaskar are also better at stretching, which involves a complete series of very simple but synchronous movements.

Through this, the stretch is very balanced and can give a good start to the workout. You can also include some warm-up movements with stretching before a workout. Stretching after heavy exercises such as weight training or running helps to relax the muscles.

What are its benefits?

Stretching can maintain and increase the movement of body parts without much effort. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, at least all large muscles should be stretched. Twice a week and allow 60 seconds for each exercise. Stretching will keep the muscles under the hip and knee flexible even in old age.

The problems of bad posture can also be tackled if you carry on the Stretching process the right way.

Stretching the lower back muscles, chest, and shoulders can help keep your spine straight and relieve pain, and improve your posture.

Stretching, Especially by doing extended sessions in a slow and focused manner, as in yoga provides relaxation and reduces stress, and Stretching after a walk can give the mind and body a jump start.

It also loosens the tight muscles and increases blood circulation in them. It also increases the secretion of endorphins, which gives peace and happiness. If you do stretching before sleeping then you will get good sleep.

What are the important things to keep in mind?

One wrong move or excessive stretch can cause pain. Avoid overstretching or stretching until it hurts. Static stretching is the safest form of stretching in which the muscles are stretched to such an extent that they do not feel uncomfortable but should not cause pain.

To warm up your body, it is better to walk with brisk steps, jog at your place, and cycle for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching.

This will increase heart rate and blood pressure, as well as increase the temperature of muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Avoid pushing during stretching and also stretch the opposite muscles.

What are the easiest ways of stretching before doing the straight-arm pulldown?

Some easy ways…

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then bend your knees slightly. Lean forward and place your hands on your knees.
Interlace the fingers together and spread the palm outwards. Push the hands as far as possible. Tilt the back and shoulders forward. Stay like this for 10 seconds.
Unfold the fingers bring the wrists towards the back and join them together.
Raise the arms as high as you can without releasing the hand behind the back so that the chest opens up and the shoulders roll back.

Straight arm pulldown muscles worked –

Pain is the body’s way of telling you that you have injured yourself or are about to hurt you.

This applies to aches and pains all over the body, not just back pain. If you don’t take pain signals seriously, it can cause long-term problems, and you risk making the pain chronic.

Treatment and specific training guidance from a musculoskeletal specialist (physiotherapist, chiropractor, or manual therapist) are often advised to address the problem.

Treatment will target and treat muscle and joint dysfunction, which in turn will reduce the occurrence of pain. When the pain has subsided, it is necessary to rule out the cause of the problem – maybe you have a slightly poor posture that overloads certain muscles and joints. Or maybe you don’t practice ergonomically well?

Experiencing back pain during the straight-arm pulldown exercise?

There are many different reasons for back pain during strength training or during the straight arm pulldown exercise. Some of the more common ones include:

Buckling –

This is based on its original meaning and simply indicates that poor ergonomic performance will lead to the failure or injury of the muscles and joints.

Overload – “Too Much, Too Quickly”

Perhaps the most common cause of exercise-related injuries is going overboard with it. Unfortunately, muscles, joints, and tendons (its fibrous connective tissue attaching muscle to the bone) are not always involved in twists, and so we develop stress injuries such as muscle twitches, tendon inflammation, and joint dysfunction.

Tips on how to avoid back pain during straight arm pulldown exercise-

Get Beginner Help to Train Properly: When you start a training program, it is essential that you find a training program that matches your current training both in terms of exercise and intensity.

Therefore, it is recommended that you consult with a personal trainer or musculoskeletal specialist (physician, chiropractor, manual therapist), who can help you establish a training program that suits you.

Write a Training Journal: Jotting down your training results will give you more motivation and better results.

Self-Treatment: What Can I Do for Muscle and Joint Pain?

General exercise, specific exercise, and stretching are recommended but stay within pain limits. Walking for 20-40 minutes twice a day makes the whole body and muscles active.
Trigger Point / Massage Balls – They come in a variety of sizes so you can hit all parts of the body. You can use these massage balls in a specific area of your body to get instant relief.
Use massaging or pain relief oils- There are various pain relief oils available in the market that help in increasing blood circulation and also decrease the intensity of pain. You can gently massage the area that has pain with these oils.