The straight arm lat pull down is a solid isolation exercise for targeting the upper lats. This exercise is best used as a finishing exercise or as a superset/pre-exhaust set. You will need either a high pulley cable machine or a lat pull down machine for this exercise.

Attach a straight bar to the high pulley and set the weight you want to use on the stack.

Position yourself in front of the machine, around 2-3 feet away, facing the machine.

Grip the straight bar with an overhand grip with your hands at around shoulder width apart.

Keeping your body straight, and your arms straight, take the weight off the stack by moving your arms so they're parallel to the floor. This is the starting position.

Keeping your arms straight, rotating at the shoulders only, pull the weight down as far as possible without letting the bar touch your body.

Pause, and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

Repeat for desired reps.

Exercise Tips:

This is an isolation exercise -weight is not important! What is importantis isolating the lats, keeping your body perfectly still, keeping your arms straightand controlling the weight.

You let the weight go up above shoulder height at the top of the movement.

Remember to goslow and control the weight. If you're doing this exercise right, you'll feel it!