Back · Cable
Single Arm Side Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
How to do the single arm side straight 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
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand side-on to a high cable and grip the handle with the arm nearest the column, keeping it nearly straight. With a slight elbow bend held throughout, pull the handle down in an arc toward your hip by driving from your lat, not your elbow. Squeeze at the bottom, then let the arm rise slowly back overhead under control.
- 1The lat on the working side driving the arm down toward your hip
- 2Your arm staying nearly straight so the lat does the work
- 3A full stretch through the lat as the arm rises back up
Common mistakes
- Don't bend the elbow and turn it into a pulldown
- Avoid twisting or leaning your torso to move the weight
- Don't let the cable yank your arm back up; control the return
Muscles worked
The single arm side straight arm lat pulldown mainly works the lats, with the forearms, lower traps, obliques, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- TricepsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the single arm side straight 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.