10 Best Rope Straight-arm Pulldown Alternatives for Lat Isolation

The Rope Straight-arm Pulldown is done standing with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Rear Pull-up, Bench Pull-ups and the Pull-up.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Rope Straight-arm Pulldown

Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
Primary muscle
Lats
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
How to perform Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  1. Attach a rope to a high pulley and make your weight selection. Stand a couple feet back from the pulley with your feet staggered and take the rope with both hands. Lean forward from the hip, keeping your back straight, with your arms extended up in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your arms straight, extend the shoulder to pull the rope down to your thighs.
  3. Pause at the bottom of the motion, squeezing your lats.
  4. Return to the starting position without allowing the weight to fully rest on the stack.
Filter Rope Straight-arm Pulldown alternatives by your equipmentTell us what you have and we'll hide exercises you can't do.

Quick presets

Equipment you can use
20 more equipment types

Sign in to remember your equipment on every page.

Ranked Rope Straight-arm Pulldown Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Rear Pull-upPlay demonstration

    1. Rear Pull-up

    59% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the lats with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  2. Bench Pull-upsPlay demonstration

    2. Bench Pull-ups

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Position yourself under a bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that is at chest height.
    2. Grab the bar or surface with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Pull your chest towards the bar or surface by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bending your elbows.
    5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or surface.
    6. Lower yourself back down to the starting position with control.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  3. Pull-upPlay demonstration

    3. Pull-up

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
    2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the bar.
    4. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  4. Pullups

    4. Pullups

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
    2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
    3. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
    4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
    5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  5. Rocky Pull-up PulldownPlay demonstration

    5. Rocky Pull-up Pulldown

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand in front of a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  6. Shoulder Grip Pull-upPlay demonstration

    6. Shoulder Grip Pull-up

    58% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing away from you.
    2. Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  7. L-pull-upPlay demonstration

    7. L-pull-up

    57% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your lats and biceps to pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  8. Wide Grip Pull-upPlay demonstration

    8. Wide Grip Pull-up

    56% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  9. Wide-grip Rear Pull-up

    9. Wide-grip Rear Pull-up

    56% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
    2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
    3. Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
    4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
    5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
  10. Reverse Grip Pull-upPlay demonstration

    10. Reverse Grip Pull-up

    55% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rope Straight-arm Pulldown

Why You Might Need a Rope Straight-arm Pulldown Alternative

You reach for a substitute when the cable stack is busy, when your gym has no rope attachment, or when you want the same lat squeeze from a seated machine with a fixed arc. Equipment is the main thing standing between you and this move, since it needs a high pulley and nothing else hangs the weight the same way. The swaps keep the cable and change the attachment, move the arc onto a barbell or an EZ bar on a flat or decline bench, or put you on a lever machine that has you pull the handles to your chest with a slight bend in the elbows.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.

Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology