Half-Kneeling Straight Arm
Lat Pushdown
How to Do the Half-Kneeling Straight Arm Band Lat Pushdown | In-Depth Guide [VISUAL LEARNERS] Intermediate
Proper Form & Common Mistakes | Home Resistance Training
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?
QUICK DEMO
QUICK DEMO
MUSCLES THIS WORKS
MUSCLES
MAIN MUSCLES WORKED IN Half Kneeling Straight Arm Band Lat Pushdown
LATISSIMUS DORSI
OTHER MUSCLES WORKED:
- Triceps
- Teres major
- Lower and mid trapezius
- Rhomboids
STARTING POINTERS
Starting Pointers
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
ALL WE'RE DOING:
Pulling our straight arm down from overhead while in a half-kneeling position.
This is a half-kneeling variation of the straight arm lat pushdown. You may find this variation easier or harder than in standing, it will depend on your strengths and weaknesses. This back exercise uses a resistance band and is a versatile exercise that can be performed almost anywhere, as all you need is a resistance band and a stable anchor point. This is a back-strengthening exercise that can be done at home or when traveling.
The half-kneeling position will work the muscles of the hips and core more than in standing. Those with leg weakness or poor balance may find the half-kneeling position easier. It's also nice if you don't have a super high place to anchor a band for the standing position - a great way to make ourselves shorter to compensate lol!
The half-kneeling position is usually easier than the tall kneeling (both knees on the floor) because the base of support is larger - lower leg behind you and other foot in front of you. This is a good option for beginners with a goal of progressing to kneeling, then standing. The half kneeling position option is good for when the anchor for the band is low, if you have leg pain, or problems with balance or standing. The half kneeling position may make it possible to work the arms through a larger range of motion, depending on the location of the anchor.
HOW TO DO THE EXERCISE
LOOKS
HOW Half Kneeling Straight Arm Lat Pushdown SHAPE OUR BODY
Good posture, slim V waist (hourglass figure).
PROPER FORM
PROPER FORM: Half Kneeling Straight Arm Band Lat Pushdown
EQUIPMENT, SETS & REPS
EQUIPMENT
Main set (3: Light/Med/Heavy)
X-Heavy Band (I recommend getting this too if you plan to use resistance bands frequently).
SUGGESTED STARTING WEIGHT FOR WOMEN:
Medium resistance bands
SETS & REPS:
High load (heavier resistance band) 2 sets of 8; medium resistance band 2 sets of 15
PACE:
Moderate pulling down and slower return.
BODY POSITION
BODY POSITION FOR Half Kneeling Straight Arm Lat Pushdowns
BAND: The anchor for the band head level or higher when in half kneeling facing the anchor*. The idea is to have your arms up higher than shoulder height and then push them back behind your hips.
FEET/ LEG: Half kneeling: One leg in front - hip and knee bent to 90 degrees, your other leg behind, hip in neutral, knee bent to 90 degrees with lower leg resting on the floor. Your hips should be over the knee of your back leg. The leg that is in front of you, should be aligned - hip in line with kneecap in line with shin and ankle, with your foot flat on the floor. Shoulders and hips squared to the front, pelvis level: In the case where you are unable to get your pelvis level in the half kneeling position - this may be due to having your upper leg bone (femur) notably shorter/longer than the lower leg bone (tibia):
If your pelvis is dropping down towards the leg that is behind you
Put a pad underneath the leg that you are kneeling (knee is on the floor) on is straight down
Try straightening the front leg a bit to see if that evens up the pelvis.
If your pelvis is dropping down on the side of your leg that is in front
Put a pad under the foot of the front leg.
Neutral spine, sternum lifted. Ankles can be plantar flexed, with the top of your foot resting on the floor, or dorsiflexed with your toes on the floor if that is more comfortable.
*If you do not have a place to anchor the band that is at head level then you can back up and hinge forward at the hips. The placement should allow you to have your arms up at least shoulder height and pull all the way through past the hips. Hinging forward at hips will work the muscles of the back more to hold the position. The activity of your hip muscles would be dependent on how much resistance and your “technique” - you may use your hip flexors to help as your arms come down, or you may have to use your hip extensors more to stabilize against the pull.
HAND/GRIP: Holding one end of the band in each hand with your forearm pronated (palms forward), should be comfortable. The band should come from the thumb side of your hand and then cross your palm.
ARMS: Arms overhead, holding the elastic band. Your upper arms are slightly in front of the trunk (30 degrees forward - in the scapular plane). Arms near fully straight, elbows can have a small bend. Hands wider than shoulder width - this will depend on the amount of elbow bend.
HOW TO DO
HOW TO DO Half Kneeling Straight Arm Band Lat Pushdowns
CUE: As you push your arms down you should feel as though your spine is lengthening upward.
Actively pull your shoulder blades down your back and in towards your spine as you push your arms down staying close to the sides of your body.
Continue moving your arms down, in towards your torso and slightly behind your torso.
As your hands approach your hips, squeeze your upper arm in towards the side of your body to get a good lat contraction. Rotate your shoulder in a bit towards the end of the movement.
Pause and then slowly return to the starting position.
HOW TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE EXERCISE
Return to the starting position and release the bands.
COMMON MISTAKES
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT TO AVOID WITH THE Half Kneeling Straight Arm Lat Pushdown
KEY TIP:
Guess what? Good news! Many avoids are the same for most movements. Once you learn the basics, there's really only a few extra avoids for each individual movement.
1. Avoid Arching/Extending Spine
AVOID: Arching your low back.
WHY NOT?
- Maintain a neutral spine position to prevent low back joint injury, muscle strain or damage over time.
- Promotes poor posture If your ribs lower ribs flare upwards - this indicates you are arching your low back.
WHAT TO DO:
- Activate your lower abdominals to hold your low back in a neutral spine position
2. Avoid Rounding/Flexing Spine
AVOID: Avoid rounding (flexing) your low back.
WHY NOT?
- Can lead to muscle strain or low back joint injury, it will also decrease the activation of the targeted muscles.
WHAT TO DO:
- Maintain a neutral spine position.
- Could be due to poor back extensor strength: choose a position with more support.
3. Avoid Gripping Neck Muscles
AVOID: Using your neck.
WHY NOT?
- The neck should be neutral and relaxed, space between the earlobe and top of shoulder - this can lead to neck and/or shoulder injury over time and it prevents you from using the correct muscles.
- You may feel neck discomfort, find that you are pressing down with your head, or gripping with your neck muscles.
WHAT TO DO:
- Gripping neck muscles in an attempt to stabilize the shoulders: relax the neck and activate the core muscles more, activate the scapular stabilizers in retraction and depression.
4. Avoid Knee Caving In/Out
AVOID: Letting the knee of the front leg lean in or out
WHY NOT?
- This can strain the ligaments on the sides of the knee/ankle.
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep the kneecap aligned with the ankle and the hip.
5. Avoid Hips Sagging In Out
AVOID: Letting the hip of the front leg fall out to the side.
WHY NOT?
- This will teach poor posture/body mechanics.
- Will not work the hip abductors.
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep the pelvis level during the exercise.
- It is helpful to check your posture in a mirror.
6. Avoid Hands Too Narrow
AVOID: Avoid too narrow hands.
WHY NOT?
- This will get the pec muscles more involved.
WHAT TO DO:
- Spread your hands further apart, wider than shoulder width if you can. This helps keep the focus on our lat muscles.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
WHAT & WHY
BENEFITS OF TRAINING THE Latissimus Dorsi
WHAT
ISOLATE THOSE LATS
This is one of my own personal favorite lat exercises - I do it at home very frequently. In the straight arm lat pushdown the arms begin stretched up in front of you and the lat muscles work to pull the arms down to your sides. This movement is the same movement as the arm movement of a swim stroke - the arm is pulled down, close to the body and rotates a little bit in at the end. The lat muscles help in all of these movements.
The benefit of the straight arm version of the lat pushdown is that it really isolates the lat and works it through a larger range of movement compared to the bent arm lat pulldown. The arms are straight and are being brought down very close to the body so there is less (if any) contribution from the other muscles (biceps and the rear deltoid). this is because:
- Larger range because starting above/oh (vs a lat row is only starting from 90 degrees relative shoulder flexion)
- If the arm were bent/bending instead of straight it would get more biceps
- If the arm were further from body instead of close it would get more rear delt - YES exactly from carol.
ARM POSITIONING:
The arms are angled out - in the scapular plane - with the hands outside of the shoulders - so they pull the upper arm down into adduction by the sides of the body towards the hips.
If the upper arm was straight to the front - then it would be more pec - not the scapular plane (the frontal plane) than in flexion (the sagittal plane) the hand position can be varied with the amount of elbow flexion. So with the dowel and perfectly straight elbows the hands will be further apart.
WHY BOTHER DOING IT?
WHY
WHY DO WE EVEN CARE?
WORKING OUR BACK COUNTERACTS ALL THE STUFF WE DO MORE TO OUR FRONTS
Straight arm lat pushdowns are a great way for training the muscles of the back. This is especially important when you think about how much of your day you spend working in front of your body, driving, using the computer, lifting, carrying, cooking, and cleaning. These are all activities that work the muscles on the front of the body, which tend to be strong and tight, pulling people into stooped posture with rounded shoulders. The situation can be made worse when we work out. Many people focus on exercises for their arms and chest but don’t really think about the muscles on our backs. It is important to balance all of that out, by working the muscles on the back of the body.
THE LATS CONNECT TO A BUNCH OF BODY PARTS = IT'S IMPORTANT TO HOW OUR BODY MOVES
The Latissimus dorsi means widest (latissimus) back (dorsi). The muscle is usually just called the lats. They are the largest back muscles, shaped somewhat like a big wing or triangle lying across much of the back. The lat muscle actually connects to the pelvis, the spine, the shoulder blade, and the arm, making it an important back muscle that not only affects posture, but also plays a big role in the movement of the shoulders and the legs.
The latissimus dorsi muscle is an important connection between your upper and lower body and your back muscles and abdominal muscles. The lat is the only muscle that connects the arm to the spine - the spine is the main support beam for the body, it helps to provide the arm with a stable base to work off of so that it can lift heavier loads and have more control.
It connects the upper body with the lower body, it is broad so it covers more area than any other back muscle. It helps to coordinate the reciprocal movement of the arms and legs during walking and running, sports - like batting, golf, tennis, - the force is transmitted from the ground, up the legs across the low back and to the arms - this is the cross pattern - one leg to the opposite arm - and the lat plays an important role in this. If this connection is weak it leads to decreased power, speed, poor posture, poor alignment of the lower body.
The transverse abdominis is very similar to the lat in its connections and also connects to the thoracolumbar fascia.
HELPS WITH WALKING & RUNNING
The lat also plays an important role in walking and running - it helps to coordinate the reciprocal movement between the arm and leg movement. When the lats are weak or tight, it can affect the activity of the gluteus maximus - resulting in a shorter walking stride - shorter steps because the leg is not moving behind the body as far. The lats connect the lower body to the upper body to transfer energy from your legs to your arms - think about swinging a bat or a golf club, you plant your foot and rotate the upper body to transfer all of the energy up and across to the other arm to hip the ball.
AVOID NECK, SHOULDER & BACK PAIN BY KEEPING BACK MUSCLES STRONG
Too much focus on the muscles on the front of the body without working the muscles of the back can lead to neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, even carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis or golfer’s elbow. When the muscles on the front of the chest (pectoralis, anterior deltoid, biceps, coracobrachialis) are tight or worked more than the muscles (stronger - creating an imbalance) of the back, they can pull the shoulders, shoulder blades, and upper back forward, and cause the arms to roll forward and in. This results in slouched posture - a flat low back, rounded upper back, rounded shoulders, and a forward head position. Over time this poor posture will irritate the joints, nerves and soft tissues of the spine and shoulders, and will work the muscles differently - creating more imbalances between the muscles.
The straight arm lat pushdown works many of the muscles on the back, and trains them to hold the torso upright, and the shoulders back as the arms move. When you learn to exercise correctly you realize that exercising is not just about strengthening muscles, but it is about learning how to move in everyday life. This exercise is a good way to learn how to use the power of the torso to help move the arms.
EVERYDAY LIFE
EVERYDAY LIFE &
MUSCLE FUNCTION
HOW WE USE OUR latissimus dorsi MUSCLES IN EVERYDAY LIFe
1. PULLING THE ARM DOWN FROM BEING IN FRONT (MOVING FROM FLEXION TO EXTENSION) OR TO THE SIDE OF THE BODY (MOVING FROM ABDUCTION TO ADDUCTION)
- Rowing yourself on a pool floatie on your summer camping vacation at the lake - face down or up!
- Kayaking - moving the paddle down & back behind you, and to keep torso upright against the pull
- Swimming
- Cross country skiing
- Chopping wood
- Golf swing
- Driving - turning the steering wheel
- Scraping snow off your car (i should be thankful I don’t have a garage, it’s keeping my backside on shape!)
- Resists arms being pulled up (resisting abduction)- like a large dog that is walking on your side and starts pulling on the leash to go chase a squirrel. I can't tell you how many people have torn their rotator cuff muscles because of dogs pulling on their leashes!
2. LIFTING YOUR BODY UP WHILE KEEPING THE ARMS STABLE
- Pushing up out of a chair
- Pushing yourself out of a pool (hands on edge of pool)
- Climbing past larger boulders on a hiking trail
- Using crutches
3. MOVES AND STABILIZES THE SHOULDER BLADE
- Depresses (pulls down) the shoulder blade: arm movements that involve pulling the arm down
- Holds the shoulder blade down to provide a stable base for your arm to work off of: using crutches, holding or carrying objects in front of you.
4. HOLDS THE TORSO IN HEALTHY UPRIGHT POSTURE
The lat is more of a secondary player for this, the erector spinae, glute max, and multifidi do most of the work - and the fascia and ligaments do a ton of work passively.
5. GAIT - PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN RECIPROCAL ARM AND LEG MOVEMENT DURING GAIT
The lat influences glute max activity through the thoracolumbar fascia (connective tissue that attaches to the spine and pelvis)
6. STABILIZES THE LOW BACK
HOW TO FEEL WHAT MUSCLE IS WORKING
How to Feel What Muscle is Working
Sitting on a chair with a hard seat. Take your opposite hand and place it on your back (towards the side of the body) about 5 inches lower than the armpit.
Place the hand of the side you will be working on the seat of the chair. Push down into the seat as if you were going to lift your bottom up off the seat. You should feel the latissimus dorsi contract.
SCIENCY STUFF
SCIENCY STUFF
SPIFFILICIOUS FACTS ABOUT MUSCLES & MOVES
The latissimus dorsi is a large broad muscle of the back used to bring the arm down (against resistance) from a flexed position, adduct the arm (move in towards the side of the body), and internally rotate the upper arm. The muscle begins at the mid-back (the lower 6 thoracic vertebrae, the lower 4 ribs) and attaches to the pelvis through the (thoracolumbar - mid to low back) fascia (connective tissue). This is a powerful muscle that works to pull the arm down from a flexed position. The latissimus dorsi supports the low back to provide a stable base for healthy joint mechanics of the shoulders, hips, and upper and lower back. Along with the lower and mid traps, rhomboids, and pectoralis major, the latissimus dorsi acts to move the shoulder blade down and inward for normal shoulder joint mechanics during arm use.
The lat is more of a secondary player for this - the erector spinae, glute max, and multifidi do most of the work - and the fascia and ligaments do a ton of work passively. In the end section under the science stuff, I had put that there really isn't anything that the lat is does that cannot be done by other muscles - so it (a graft from it, not the whole thing) is commonly used in surgeries when muscle flaps are needed. Basically, any function of the lat can be done by some other muscle. The thoracolumbar fascia is what connects the lat to the spine, pelvis, glutes - so even without the lats, it would function to help support the spine.
ALLLL MUSCLES & WHEN
ALL MUSCLES WORKING & WHEN DURING THE Half Kneeling Straight Arm Band Lat Pushdown
The core (abdominals and lumbar region) muscles are active throughout to stabilize the body against the resisted movement of the arms.
The arms begin out to the front of the body, neutral shoulder position (no internal or external rotation). In this position the shoulder blade is rotated upward and pulled slightly into protraction - this is passive - no muscle activity because the resistance of the band is holding the arm in this position.
The latissimus dorsi and teres major work concentrically to push the arm down, the lower fibers of the pectoralis major and triceps can help when there is enough resistance. The mid trap, lower trap, rhomboids and serratus anterior work to move the shoulder blade to control the positioning of the shoulder joint, including retracting (pulling towards the spine) and depressing (pulling down the back) and rotating the shoulder blade down and to hold the shoulder blade to provide a stable base for the arm to move off of.
Towards the end of the movement, the triceps may be activated (isometrically) to hold the elbow straight as the band pulls on the hands. The upper arm is slightly internally rotated - this involves the latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus and teres minor muscles.
To return to the starting position the same muscles will work eccentrically to reverse the motions and control the pull of the band as the arms are lifted back up.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
