Lat exercises

Cable Single-arm Lat Pulldown

Also known as: Tirage vertical unilatéral à la poulie · Μονόπλευρες έλξεις στην τροχαλία · one-arm pulldown · single arm pulldown

Primary
Lats
Equipment
Cable
Level
Beginner
Type
Compound
Suggested rest
1.5 min
 
One side at a time

How to do the Cable Single-arm Lat Pulldown

  1. Clip a single handle to the high pulley and sit or kneel beneath it.

  2. Hold the handle with one arm extended overhead.

  3. Pull your elbow down to your side, squeezing your back.

  4. Let the handle rise under control and finish all reps before switching arms.

Sets and reps

GoalSetsRepsRest
Muscle growth3–48–121.5 min
Muscular endurance2–315–201 min

When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 2.5 kg (5 lb) next session and work back up.

Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.

Muscles worked

Primary

Lats

Secondary

Biceps, Upper back

The widest muscles of your back pull the arms down and back. Pull-ups, pulldowns and rows with the elbows close to the body build the V-taper.

Alternatives

Same muscles, similar movement: swap in one of these if the Cable Single-arm Lat Pulldown doesn’t suit your gym or your joints.

Train smarter

Cable lat exercises