Back · Cable machine

Cable one arm lat pulldown

The cable one arm lat pulldown is a unilateral vertical pulling exercise designed to focus tension directly onto the latissimus dorsi. It is ideal for correcting muscular imbalances and achieving a deeper lat contraction, typically placed in the middle or end of a back workout.

Muscles: Back
Equipment: Cable machine
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grab a single handle attachment with one hand.
Pull the handle down towards your chest, driving your elbow down and back.
Rotate your torso slightly towards the working side.
Squeeze your lat at the bottom.
Return to the starting position with control.
Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Common mistakes

Excessive torso rotation and swinging use momentum rather than lat strength to move the load.
Pulling through the hand instead of driving the elbow down shifts the workload entirely to the bicep.
Cutting the range of motion short at the top prevents the lat from reaching a full, productive stretch.
Shrugging the shoulder upward at the bottom blocks the scapular depression needed to fully contract the lat.

Tips

Drive your elbow down and slightly back toward your hip to follow the natural line of the lat fibers.
Allow the working shoulder blade to elevate naturally at the top to achieve maximum stretch under tension.
Plant your feet firmly and brace your core throughout each rep to keep the pelvis and torso stable.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 controlled reps per arm, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sides, to stimulate hypertrophy and unilateral strength.

Muscles worked

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

App Store Google Play RuStore

On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.

Questions

Why choose the single-arm version over a standard two-arm lat pulldown?

It allows a freer path of movement tailored to your shoulder mechanics and helps identify and correct side-to-side strength disparities.

Can this exercise be replicated at home without a cable machine?

You can anchor a resistance band overhead to a pull-up bar or sturdy door frame, though a cable provides a more uniform resistance curve throughout the entire pull.

Similar exercises

All back exercises →