Exercise Comparison
Catch and Overhead Throw vs Straight-Arm Pulldown
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Catch and Overhead Throw
Instructions
Catch and Overhead Throw
Begin standing while facing a wall or a partner.
Using both hands, position the ball behind your head, stretching as much as possible, and forcefully throw the ball forward.
Ensure that you follow your throw through, being prepared to receive your rebound from your throw. If you are throwing against the wall, make sure that you stand close enough to the wall to receive the rebound, and aim a little higher than you would with a partner.
Straight-Arm Pulldown
You will start by grabbing the wide bar from the top pulley of a pulldown machine and using a wider than shoulder-width pronated (palms down) grip. Step backwards two feet or so.
Bend your torso forward at the waist by around 30-degrees with your arms fully extended in front of you and a slight bend at the elbows. If your arms are not fully extended then you need to step a bit more backwards until they are. Once your arms are fully extended and your torso is slightly bent at the waist, tighten the lats and then you are ready to begin.
While keeping the arms straight, pull the bar down by contracting the lats until your hands are next to the side of the thighs. Breathe out as you perform this step.
While keeping the arms straight, go back to the starting position while breathing in.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the lats. Catch and Overhead Throw is a beginner exercise using medicine ball, while Straight-Arm Pulldown is beginner and uses cable. Choose Catch and Overhead Throw if you have access to medicine ball, or Straight-Arm Pulldown if you prefer cable. Catch and Overhead Throw is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Straight-Arm Pulldown isolates the target muscle for focused development.