← Library
Isolation

Cable Straight-Arm Pulldown

Trains lats first, with real work landing on upper back, triceps, core.

Muscle contribution per set

Lats1
Upper Back.30
Triceps.20
Core.15

These are the weights Forge's volume audit actually computes with — deliberately conservative, so compounds don't masquerade as full coverage. A 0.5 means a set counts as half a set for that muscle: meaningful help, not a replacement for direct work.

Tempo

3down
0pause
2up
0squeeze

Lat isolation with constant tension; slow eccentric maximises stretch and mind-muscle connection.

Slight lean, arms straight; think 'pull elbows to hips'.

Derived from tempo research on this movement class — Wilk M, Zając A, Tufano JJ.

How Forge progresses it

Progresses by load in +0.5kg steps. Isolation work is where the honest-volume ledger pays off — compounds alone don't cover it.

Swap it for

Same movement pattern, same progression continuity — these are the alternatives the app offers mid-session when a rack is taken or equipment isn't there.

Train with intention. Open Forge — it prescribes the weight, watches the reps, and does this arithmetic for every set you log.