Cable Incline Rope Lat Pulldown

Sit facing the backrest of an incline bench with your chest on the pad, and grab the rope attached to a high pulley. Start with your arms reaching long and diagonally upward, shoulders pulled away from your ears.

Drive your elbows toward your sides to pull the rope down in front of your chest. Spreading the rope ends slightly as you pull lets your elbows travel deeper beside your torso for a stronger lat contraction.

Briefly squeeze your lats, then slowly straighten your arms and send the rope back to the start. Keep your chest on the pad and feel the sides of your back lengthen.

With your chest supported and momentum reduced, focus on your lats contracting from below your armpits down to your sides. Thinking of your elbows dropping toward your hips makes it easier to feel your back, not your arms, doing the work.

Lifting your chest off the pad and leaning back removes the benefit of the chest support. Bending your wrists and pulling the rope with your hands alone tires your biceps and forearms first.

Exhale as you pull the rope and inhale as you straighten your arms to return. If breathing feels restricted against the pad, think of filling your sides rather than your belly.

Set the bench angle and seat position so the weight stack stays lifted even when your arms are fully extended. Holding the stretched position for 1 second before each pull helps you make better use of the lat stretch.