One Arm Lat PulldownMuscles Worked
The one-arm lat pulldown works your lats one side at a time, with the biceps and upper back assisting. Pulling a single handle lets your elbow travel down close to your side and gives each lat a longer stretch at the top than a two-handed bar.
PrimaryLats
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Attach a single handle to the high pulley, set the knee pad snugly and sit facing the machine.
- Reach up and grab the handle with your palm facing forward, letting your arm straighten and your shoulder rise slightly.
- Pull the handle down by driving your elbow toward your hip, keeping it close to your side.
- Pause when your hand reaches shoulder level and your lat is fully squeezed.
- Let the handle rise slowly back to a full stretch without letting the weight stack touch down, then finish the set and switch arms.
Form tips
- Keep your torso facing forward, because leaning or twisting toward the working side shortens the pull.
- Start with your weaker side and match those reps on the stronger side.
- Rotating your palm to face inward as you pull is fine if that feels more natural to you.
Why it made the list
No. 12 of 12
Best Lat Exercises
Unilateral cable pulldown addresses left/right lat imbalances. Greater range of motion per arm.
More lat exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your One Arm Lat Pulldown sets in KasMaker and watch your lats, biceps, and upper back fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
