The straight arm pull down is an excellent exercise for stimulating the general back muscles whilst ensuring the muscles responsible for flexion of the arms are minimized during the movement. The exercise is performed in front of a high cable pulley using a wide bar attachment. The arms remain stiff throughout the exercise, with a slight bend at the elbow joint. The bar is then brought down to the top of the thighs whilst the arms remain stiff, via extension of the shoulder. The straight arm pull down is especially effective at stressing the latissimus dorsi, the large and sweeping muscle of the back, meaning the exercise is a wise choice for those looking for a wide back.
The straight arm pull down exercise may be a great choice for pre-exhausting the back prior to other pull down and rowing exercises. Back exercises tend to involve the arm flexor muscles greatly, so performing an isolation exercise to tire the back muscles prior to the pull downs and rowing movements may prove effective at preventing the arm muscles overpowering the movements.
Avoid using excessive weight which causes the form to slacken. The torso and arms should remain fixed in position during the exercise for maximum effectiveness, with no additional movements at the elbow joint to aid the lift. To improve balance it would be wise to have one foot in front of the other, mimicking a lunge, with the knees slightly bent. Leaning into the movement may aid in achieving a greater stretch at the top of the exercise, and improve balance.
Due to the stress placed on the shoulder joint it would be recommended to avoid this exercise if training within the lower repetition range (below six). Furthermore, balance and form will likely be hindered greatly with a large load. The straight arms pull down would be a great choice for a bodybuilding orientated routine, where a repetition range between eight and twelve is implemented. Ensure the negative phrase of the exercise is taken full advantage of, with a slow and controlled movement to maximize muscle stress.
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