ExercisesStrength Training — Machines
Single Arm Lat Pulldown: A Complete Guide
Also called One Arm Pulldown
Quick Intro
Single Arm Lat Pulldown, also called the One Arm Pulldown, is a machine-based strength training exercise performed seated, pulling a single handle down from overhead one arm at a time. Working one side at a time allows a fuller stretch and a longer range of motion than a two-handed bar pulldown.
Equipment Needed
A Lat Pulldown Machine is required, set up with a single handle attachment. No other equipment is needed.
Why It Matters
This pulldown asks for more coordination than a bar pulldown, alongside strength and endurance work for the back. The extra coordination comes from keeping the torso from leaning or rotating toward the working arm while pulling the load down through a full range on one side. The wide back muscle (latissimus dorsi) drives the pull, with support from a small muscle under the shoulder blade that assists the lat (teres major) and the front of the upper arm (biceps brachii).
When to Do It
Single Arm Lat Pulldown works well in a back session either to correct a strength difference between sides or as a finishing movement once the back is already warmed up. Two to three times a week per side, with enough recovery for the back to rebuild, suits most people.
Anyone with a current shoulder issue should get individual guidance before loading this exercise heavily, since leaning the torso to help finish the pull can place uneven stress on the shoulder.
Getting Ready
Rowing lightly on a machine or swinging the arms in loose circles for a few minutes warms the back and shoulders up before adding cable resistance. Running through a light set on each side, watching for any lean in the torso, previews how the pull feels before the working sets begin.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Sit at the machine with the thighs secured under the pads, then grip the single handle with one hand, reaching up toward the pulley.
2. The starting stretch. Let the shoulder blade reach upward for a full stretch through the lat.
3. The pull. Drive the elbow down and back, pulling the handle to the side of the chest without leaning the torso.
4. The return. Extend the arm back overhead under control, keeping the torso still throughout.
How Many, How Often
Single Arm Lat Pulldown is dosed by reps, sets and weight per side, with the load chosen relative to how still the torso stays through a full set.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to a single-arm pulldown | 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side with a light weight, focused on a still torso and a full stretch |
| Intermediate | The torso stays still without leaning toward the working arm | 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side with a weight where the last 1 to 2 reps are hard for the back |
| Advanced | Comfortable training close to a heavy top set per side | 4 sets, alternating heavier sets of 6 to 8 reps with lighter sets of 10 to 12 reps across a week |
A still torso from the first rep to the last matters more here than the weight on the stack, since leaning to help finish the pull lets momentum do work the back muscles should be doing.
Modifications and Variations
For a different technique with the same equipment, Lat Pulldown uses a bar and both arms together, trading the one-sided stretch and coordination demand for the ability to handle more total weight at once.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Leaning the torso toward the working arm. Tilting the body sideways to help finish the pull hands the work to momentum and takes it from the lat. Keeping the torso upright and still on each rep is what makes the single-arm version worth doing.
Using the free hand to brace on the thigh too hard. Some light support from the free hand is fine, but pressing down hard on the thigh to help drive the pull recruits the rest of the body to assist. A light, stabilizing touch leaves the pull to the working side.
Cutting the stretch short at the top. Rushing into the next rep before the shoulder blade reaches a full stretch overhead shortens the range and reduces how much the lat gets to lengthen under control. Pausing briefly at full extension makes each rep count.
After Your Set
Reaching one arm across the chest and gently pulling it closer with the other hand releases the back of the shoulder after a set spent pulling one arm down and back. A gentle seated forward reach, letting the upper back round, finishes the reset for the lat that just worked through a full, one-sided range.
Going Deeper
Single Arm Lat Pulldown is used either to even out a back that pulls harder on one side or as a finishing movement once the heavier two-handed pulling is done. The torso has to stay still with no help from the other arm, so core and grip fatigue often catch up before the lat reaches its limit, especially on later reps of a set. Building a stronger core brace and training the grip separately gets past a plateau sooner than loading more weight onto the handle.
Someone new to this exercise typically learns to keep the torso still within the first few sessions, then builds toward a confident working weight over four to eight weeks as the back and core adapt together.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A torso that stays upright and still, from the first rep to the last
- A full stretch reached overhead at the top of each rep
- A pull led by the elbow, driven down and back, not by the hand
- A working weight per side heavy enough that the last 1 to 2 reps are hard for the back
A still, upright torso through the whole set matters more as progress than the number on the stack.
Muscles Worked
- Latissimus Dorsi (the wide back muscle, pulling one handle down with the other side resting)
- Teres Major (a small muscle under the shoulder blade, contributing on whichever side is pulling)
- Biceps Brachii (the front of the upper arm, assisting whichever arm is pulling down)
FAQ
Is Single Arm Lat Pulldown harder than a regular Lat Pulldown? It is somewhat harder to do well, mainly because of the added coordination of keeping the torso still with only one arm working, not because it needs more raw pulling strength.
Why does the torso tend to lean during a one-arm pulldown? The cable pulls the working arm and shoulder down and to the side, and without an active effort to stay upright, the torso naturally follows that pull. Staying tall and resisting that lean is what this exercise is built to train.
Can it reveal a strength difference between the two sides? Yes, because each arm has to move the full load on its own with nothing from the other side to lean on, a gap between them tends to show up here clearly, even when a two-handed pulldown had been hiding it.
How does the two-handed pulldown compare? Lat Pulldown uses a bar and both arms together, allowing more total weight to be moved at once, while this version isolates each side individually and demands more coordination to keep the torso still.
Is some core fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the core and grip after a full set on each side is expected. Sharp pain in the shoulder or lower back is different and worth getting checked.
Related to Lat Pulldown, the two-handed alternative on the same machine.