Back · Cable
Cable One Arm Lat Pulldown
How to do the cable one arm lat pulldown, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Attach a single handle to a high pulley and grip it with one hand, sitting or kneeling tall. Pull the handle down toward your shoulder while keeping your torso still, then return slowly to a full stretch overhead.
- 1Your lat engaging on that side as you pull the elbow down
- 2The movement starting from the shoulder blade dropping
- 3A full stretch in the lat at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Leaning back or twisting the torso to move the weight
- Yanking with the biceps instead of driving the elbow down
- Letting the handle snap back up at the top
Muscles worked
The cable one arm lat pulldown mainly works the lats and biceps, with the forearms, lower traps, mid traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kovo programs the cable one arm lat pulldown for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.