One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown vs Rope Arm Pulldown

Which one fits your Back workout plan?

Contents

Planfit users log Rope Arm Pulldown more often — 2,393 sessions vs 334. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Compare the benefits of One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown and Rope Arm Pulldown and pick the one that fits your Back workout.

One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown vs Rope Arm Pulldown: Which Do Planfit Users Choose?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Rope Arm Pulldown more often — 2,393 sessions compared to 334 for One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown.

What most people do isn't always what fits you. One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown and Rope Arm Pulldown differ in the muscles they work, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown and Rope Arm Pulldown Differ

What differsOne Arm Cable Lat PulldownRope Arm Pulldown
Muscles workedback, traps, and bicepsback and triceps
One side at a timeYesNo
Difficulty5 of 51 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users334 sessions2,393 sessions

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Not sure whether One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown or Rope Arm Pulldown fits your goal? Get a personalized plan

How to Do One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown

One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown demo video

One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown Muscles Worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Gather your shoulder blades while naturally pulling your arms back.
  2. 2. Rotate your palms facing forward towards your body and pull them up to shoulder height.
  3. 3. Rotate your palms back to face forward and raise your arms.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. Please be careful not to strain your shoulders by fully extending your shoulders and arms.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to let your trapezius muscles rise.
  3. 3. Please be careful not to let your elbows fall back.

For a full One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown guide with alternatives and benefits, see the One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown exercise guide.

Want to learn more about One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown?Exercise Guide

How to Do Rope Arm Pulldown

Rope Arm Pulldown demo video

Rope Arm Pulldown Muscles Worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Squeeze your armpits and pull the rope towards your body.
  2. 2. Slowly raise it back up to shoulder level.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. Please be careful not to bend your arm.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to raise your arm higher than your shoulder.
  3. 3. Please be careful not to elevate your trapezius muscle.

For a full Rope Arm Pulldown guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Rope Arm Pulldown exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Rope Arm Pulldown?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Back, One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown or Rope Arm Pulldown?

Planfit users log Rope Arm Pulldown more often — 2,393 sessions against 334 for One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown. Both train Back, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

Do One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown and Rope Arm Pulldown work the same muscles?

Not quite. One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown loads back, traps, and biceps, and Rope Arm Pulldown loads back and triceps.

What equipment do One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown and Rope Arm Pulldown need?

One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown needs a machine, and Rope Arm Pulldown needs a machine.

Which is easier to start with?

Rope Arm Pulldown is the easier place to start. Move to One Arm Cable Lat Pulldown once your form holds up.

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