Australia’s first athlete to win a professional Classic Physique contest is riding high after treading the boards as the first bodybuilder, from down under, to compete in the category at the Olympia. But despite his trailblazing efforts, Ethan Gohari is back in the gym as he prepares for the season ahead. To that end, the big man is working to widen his physique with the straight arm pulldown, a move that he says is a game changer for isolating lats.
“You can do this at pretty much any gym,” shared the bodybuilder in recent Instagram post. “And, when it’s set up properly, the lat connection is next level.”
To lean into your lats, all you’ll need is access to a widely available cable station. Among other benefits, Gohari points out that this exercise is brilliant because of the constant tension, stimulating the lat throughout the entire range of motion.
What Is the Single-Arm Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown?
This isolation exercise targets the latissimus dorsi muscles, or “lats,” on either side of the back. These muscles are critical for bodybuilders, because they provide a “winged” appearance, making the back look wider, and tapering off to suggest a tighter waist.
To execute the move, step away so that you must lean into the cable. Then grip the attachment, such as the cuff in this example, and “Think about pushing your elbow down towards the floor,” explained Gohari. “Your hand is basically just a hook.”
The athlete says that it is just important to control the cable while releasing it too, aiming for a slow and controlled motion. “If you have a swing, bend your elbow excessively, or use your whole body to move (the weight), you’ve probably gone too heavy,” he advised.”
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How to Execute Ethan Gohari’s Single-Arm Cable Pulldown Form
Taking a unilateral approach, Gohari makes gains with a “Better mind-to-muscle connection,” he said. “Working one side at a time makes it much easier to focus on actually driving through the lat rather than just moving the weight.”
For best results, Gohari also explains that you should drive your elbow towards the hip during the pull and then squeeze the lats as you contract. Then, “On the way back up, let the lat lengthen under control, without losing your shoulder position,” he said, concluding that by focusing on keeping the shoulder down, moving the elbow towards the hip, and controlling and the stretch, you’ll soon be loving your own lats a little more.
To follow Ethan Gohari on Instagram, click here.
