Target Muscle

    Lats

    Equipment

    Machine

    Difficulty

    Intermediate

    Category

    Strength

    Single Arm Lateral Wide Pulldown

    The one arm lateral wide pulldown is a machine-based exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi, performed one arm at a time for unilateral strength and muscle development.

    Also Works

    BicepsRhomboidsRear Deltoids

    How to Perform

    1. 1

      Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.

    2. 2

      Grasp the handle with an overhand grip and fully extend your arm, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.

    3. 3

      Pull the handle down and across your body towards your opposite hip, squeezing your lat muscle at the bottom of the movement.

    4. 4

      Slowly return the handle to the starting position, fully extending your arm.

    5. 5

      Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

    Pro Tips

    • Pull the handle in a wide arc down toward your opposite hip to maximize lat fiber recruitment across the widest range.
    • Lean your torso slightly toward the working side to increase the stretch at the top of the movement.
    • Focus on leading with your elbow rather than your hand to ensure the lat does the work, not the biceps.

    Common Mistakes

    • Pulling straight down instead of in a lateral arc, which turns it into a standard pulldown and reduces the wide lat emphasis.
    • Using too much weight and compensating by twisting the torso to pull the handle down.
    • Not fully extending the arm at the top, which shortens the range of motion and reduces the lat stretch.

    Frequently Asked Questions

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