← EXERCISE LIBRARYStrength
Half-Kneeling Cable Pulldown
A single-arm vertical pull from a half-kneeling stance, so the lat does the work while the trunk resists being pulled out of position.
- 01Set a cable high and kneel side-on with the inside knee down, the outside foot forward and the hips square.
- 02Take the handle with the arm nearest the machine and reach up until the shoulder blade rises.
- 03Squeeze the glute on the down knee and tuck the ribs.
- 04Pull the elbow down to the ribs, pause, then let the arm travel back up under control.
- 01Pull with the elbow, not the hand.
- 02The torso does not rotate or side-bend — that is the other half of the exercise.
- 03Glute on the back leg stays switched on for the whole set.
- 01Letting the trunk twist toward the cable, which is the exact thing the stance is there to prevent.
- 02Sitting back on the heel and losing the tall hip position.
- 03Going too heavy, so the weight moves and the position does not hold.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.