One Arm Lat Pulldown

Lats
Biceps
Upper Back

Equipment: Cable

New to this

Your first one arm lat pulldown

What weight should I start with on the one arm lat pulldown?

Start at 20 to 30 lb, or roughly a third of what you use for a two-arm pulldown. One arm can't hold as large a share as you'd guess, and the weight has to stay low enough that your torso doesn't twist.

Do 2 sets of 10 per arm. Work the weaker side first and match the stronger side to it.

What usually goes wrong on the one arm lat pulldown?

Your torso rotates toward the cable on every rep. Hold the seat or your knee with the free hand and keep your shoulders square.

You pull with your arm and feel it only in your bicep. Start the pull by dropping the shoulder down toward your hip, then let the elbow bend.

You use so much weight that you have to lean back to move it. Set up upright and stay there. Leaning turns this into a row.

If the cable station is busy

Two-arm pulldowns get you through the workout faster and let you load more. The dumbbell row is the other good single-side option if the cables are all occupied.

How to do it

Select an appropriate weight and adjust the knee pad to help keep you down. Grasp the handle with a pronated grip. This will be your starting position.
Pull the handle down, squeezing your elbow to your side as you flex the elbow.
Pause at the bottom of the motion, and then slowly return the handle to the starting position.
For multiple repetitions, avoid completely returning the weight to keep tension on the muscles being worked.