Compound vs Isolation: Train Your Back Right
Rows hit your lats AND your biceps — the straight-arm pulldown isolates the lats so the biceps barely fire. Same muscle, two very different jobs: use compounds for size & strength, isolation to target a weak point.
Exercises in this video
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Seated Cable Row Seated cable rows with a straight bar train the mid-back through horizontal pulling. Keep your chest tall, pull to your stomach, and squeeze your shoulder blades. Main muscles: lats and upper back. -
Cable Straight-Arm Pulldown Straight-arm pulldowns drive a high cable down to your thighs with nearly locked elbows, isolating the lats. Hinge slightly, keep your arms straight, and pull from your lats rather than your triceps. Main muscles: lats.
