# Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown

A ski erg drill: pull both handles from overhead down to your hips with nearly straight arms and only a slight forward lean. Unlike the full ski erg stroke, it leaves out the hip hinge and elbow bend and works the lats alone.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Ski erg
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/ski-ergometer-cross-country-ski-pullover-pull/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/ski-erg-straight-arm-pulldown/

## Muscles worked

- Lats: 9/10
- Teres major: 7/10
- Rear delts: 5/10
- Triceps: 5/10
- Rhomboids: 4/10
- Traps: 3/10

## How to do the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown

1. Stand on the platform, a handle in each hand, arms overhead.
2. Keep your elbows nearly straight and a slight knee bend.
3. Sweep both handles down in an arc to your hips.
4. Return the handles overhead slowly along the same arc.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Stand on the ski erg platform facing the machine with feet about hip-width apart and a slight knee bend.
2. Grip one handle in each hand, palms facing each other, with arms reaching up and forward above your head.
3. Keep your elbows nearly straight and set your shoulders down away from your ears.
4. Sweep both handles down in an arc until your hands reach your hips.
5. Lean only slightly forward, without hinging or squatting into the pull.
6. Return along the same arc until your arms are overhead and lats fully lengthened.

## Common mistakes

- Bending elbows through the pull
- Swinging torso to move weight
- Shrugging shoulders during the pull
- Stopping short of overhead stretch
- Hinging deep at the hips

## Form cues

- Keep elbows nearly fixed
- Drive arms toward hips
- Let lats stretch overhead
- Shoulders stay down
- Move from the shoulders

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 8–10 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift explosively
- **Muscle growth**: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 45 s · 3 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Resistance bands**: [Single Arm Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-resistance-band-straight-arm-pulldown/), [Resistance Band Floor Pullover](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-floor-pullover/)
- **No equipment**: [Bodyweight Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-straight-arm-kickback/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-straight-arm-kickback/)
- **Cable machine**: [Lying Cable Pullover](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-cable-pullover/), [Cable Straight Arm Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-straight-arm-pulldown/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- **This exercise: Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown — Beginner**
- Harder: [Dumbbell Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-straight-arm-kickback/) — Beginner
- Harder: [Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/bent-over-barbell-reverse-raise/) — Intermediate

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown work?

Primary: Lats 9/10, Teres major 7/10. Also works: Rear delts 5/10, Triceps 5/10, Rhomboids 4/10, Traps 3/10.

### When should I do the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 5 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 8–10 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 45 s, 3 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown?

Resistance bands: Single Arm Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldown, Resistance Band Floor Pullover. No equipment: Bodyweight Straight Arm Kickback. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Straight Arm Kickback. Cable machine: Lying Cable Pullover, Cable Straight Arm Pulldown.

### What is a harder version of the Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown?

Dumbbell Straight Arm Kickback (Beginner), Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise (Intermediate).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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