Should my arms be perfectly straight?

No, you should maintain a fixed, slight bend in the elbows to protect the joint, but the angle of the elbow should not change throughout the set.

How is this different from a standard lat pull down?

The straight-arm version removes the biceps from the movement, allowing you to isolate the lats and teres major more effectively.

You should feel a deep stretch and contraction along the sides of your back, specifically under the armpits.

A straight bar allows for more stability and heavier loading, while a rope allows for a slightly longer range of motion at the bottom.

Learn the correct form for straight-arm pull downs to build back width and isolate the lats. Follow our expert steps and avoid common mistakes.

Adjust the cable pulley to its highest position and attach a straight bar or long lat bar.
Grip the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and take two steps back to create tension on the cable.
Hinge slightly at the hips and keep your arms nearly straight with a very soft bend in the elbows.
Engage your core and pull the bar down toward your thighs in a wide arc, focusing on using your armpits to initiate the movement.
Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement when the bar reaches your upper legs.
Slowly reverse the motion to return the bar to the starting position, maintaining control against the weight's stack.
Stop when your arms are aligned with your ears to keep constant tension on the muscle.

Bending the elbows excessively which turns the move into a tricep pushdown
Using momentum or swinging the torso to move the weight
Allowing the shoulders to shrug up toward the ears during the eccentric phase
Shortening the range of motion by not allowing the lats to fully stretch at the top

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