Luke Lewitzke

Certified A.C.E. (American Counsel on Exercise) Personal Trainer

Weight and Lifestyle Management Specialist

The Banded Straight Arm Pulldown is going to strengthen the Posterior Deltoid (Back of the Shoulder), the long head of your Triceps, and your Latissimus Dorsi. This is a great exercise to do to strengthen the muscles under the arm and in the back of the shoulder if you are experiencing upper back tightness or discomfort from overuse.

Performing the Banded Straight Arm Pulldown

• Standing, seated, or kneeling tall, attach your band from above and slightly out in front of you, making sure that nothing will be pulled over and fall on top of you during your exercise.
• Keep your arms straight out in front of you and shoulders down away from your ears.
• Slowly pull your arms straight down bringing your hands to the side of your thighs.
• Make sure that you keep your chest proud, do not let your shoulders round forward or hunch up.
• Perform 10-15 repetitions for 2 sets with 30-60 seconds rest between sets.

Regressions

• If you are experiencing any sort of discomfort in the lower back when you perform this exercise standing, simply kneel or sit. This will help lessen the amount of work the core has to do to stabilize the spine while performing the exercise.
• If your shoulders hunch up or round forward while performing the exercise, that means that the intensity is too much and that you need to lessen the resistance so that you aren’t compromising form.

Contraindications

• Don’t perform the Banded Straight Arm Pulldown if you experience sharp shoulder pain.
• Don’t perform the Banded Straight Arm Pulldown if you experience any numbness in the fingers or arm as this is an indication of nerve irritation or impingement.
• Don’t perform the Banded Straight Arm Pulldown if you experience sharp or stabbing pain in your lower back, even after moving to a seated or kneeling position.