How many reps of the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?

Ten to twelve reps for three sets per arm works well; keep both sides at the same rep count even if one shoulder clearly fatigues faster.

What can I do instead of the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown with no cable machine?

A band anchored overhead worked one arm at a time trains the same one-sided shoulder-extension pattern almost anywhere.

What is the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown good for and when should you choose differently?

Working one side at a time builds a strong mind-muscle connection with the lat and can expose a side-to-side strength gap the two-hand versions hide. It's not the most time-efficient choice if you're pressed for a short session, since training each arm separately takes roughly twice as long as a two-hand pulldown for the same total volume.

Intermediate

Single-Arm Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown

Running the straight-arm pulldown one side at a time lets the working arm travel further across the body and reach a deeper stretch than a two-hand bar allows. The single point of load also asks the obliques to resist rotation. It is an excellent unilateral isolation piece for building a mind-muscle connection with the lat.

Equipment: Cables
Body part: Back, Lats
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
Browse by movement: Anti-Rotation, Vertical Pull

How to do it

1
Attach a single handle to a high pulley and stand side-on or facing the stack with a slight hinge.
2
Grab the handle with a straight arm and a small fixed elbow bend.
3
Brace your trunk and keep your shoulders square.
4
Pull the handle down and back toward your hip using only the lat and shoulder.
5
Squeeze at the bottom, then let the arm rise back overhead under control.
6
Complete all reps, then switch sides.

Tips

Resist the pull that wants to rotate your torso toward the stack.
Keep the elbow angle fixed the entire rep.
Match range and reps on your weaker side.

Variations

Common mistakes

The free arm swings out for counterbalance as the working side pulls, a sign the trunk isn't yet stable enough to isolate one side.
Once the working shoulder tires, the standing hip on that side hikes up to help finish the pull, sneaking hip drive into a move meant to isolate the shoulder.
The handle drifts toward the centerline of the body at the bottom instead of finishing near the hip on the working side, shortening the arc the shoulder actually travels.
Rushing the return trip lets the cable snap the arm back overhead instead of lowering it under control.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?: Ten to twelve reps for three sets per arm works well; keep both sides at the same rep count even if one shoulder clearly fatigues faster.
What can I do instead of the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown with no cable machine?: A band anchored overhead worked one arm at a time trains the same one-sided shoulder-extension pattern almost anywhere.
What is the single-arm straight-arm cable pulldown good for and when should you choose differently?: Working one side at a time builds a strong mind-muscle connection with the lat and can expose a side-to-side strength gap the two-hand versions hide. It's not the most time-efficient choice if you're pressed for a short session, since training each arm separately takes roughly twice as long as a two-hand pulldown for the same total volume.

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