Back · Cable

with Rope Attachment Cable Straight Arm Pulldown

How to do the with rope attachment cable straight arm pulldown, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Animated demonstration of the with Rope Attachment Cable Straight Arm Pulldown
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Logged as
Weighted reps
Movement
VerticalPull
Mechanic
Compound

How to do it

Attach a rope to a high cable pulley and stand facing the stack, gripping the rope with both hands and arms straight overhead. Brace your core and, without bending your elbows, draw the rope down toward your thighs by squeezing your shoulder blades and pulling with your lats. Pause at the bottom, then let the rope return overhead under control.

  1. 1Keep your arms straight and pull the rope down toward your thighs,
  2. 2feeling your lats engage
  3. 3Keep your shoulders depressed and your core tight throughout
  4. 4Pause and squeeze your lats at the bottom before returning to the start

Common mistakes

  • Don't bend your elbows or pull with your biceps
  • Avoid leaning back or using your lower back to help
  • Don't let the rope snap back; keep the motion smooth

Muscles worked

The with rope attachment cable straight arm pulldown mainly works the lats, with the lower traps, forearms, and mid traps assisting.

  • LatsPrimary
  • Lower TrapsSupport
  • ForearmsSupport
  • Mid TrapsSupport
  • BicepsMinor
  • TricepsMinor
  • Upper AbsMinor
  • Rear DeltsMinor

Kovo programs the with rope attachment cable straight arm 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.

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Last reviewed June 2026.