Seated Cable Row
Also known as: Cable Row · Low Row
Horizontal pulling with constant tension and no lower-back cost: the row you can do heavy volume on.
- Primary
- Rhomboids, Middle trapezius, Latissimus dorsi
- Secondary
- Posterior deltoid, Biceps brachii
- Equipment
- Cable
- Type
- Compound
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
Set up
- Sit with feet braced on the platform, knees softly bent.
- Grip the handle and sit tall with your chest up.
- Arms extended, torso roughly vertical.
Perform the rep
- Pull the handle to your lower ribs, driving the elbows straight back.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of the pull.
- Return under control, letting your shoulder blades protract at full extension.
- Keep your torso still: no rocking forward and back.
Common mistakes
-
Rowing with the torso
Swinging your upper body back and forth turns the row into a lower-back exercise with a handle attached. Lock the torso and move only your arms and shoulder blades.
-
Shrugging
If your traps rise toward your ears you are pulling too high. Keep the shoulders down and pull to the lower ribs.
-
Cutting the stretch
Letting the shoulder blades come forward at full extension is part of the movement, not sloppy form. Just do not round the lower back to reach further.
How to programme it
Because it costs almost nothing in lower-back fatigue, this is the row to add volume with when your barbell rows are already taxing.
Variations
- Wide-grip cable row: more upper back and rear delt
- Single-arm cable row: greater range, fixes imbalances
- Chest-supported machine row, same benefit, even more stable
Frequently asked questions
Should I use a wide or narrow grip on cable rows?
A narrow neutral grip pulled to the lower ribs emphasises the lats. A wide grip pulled higher, to the sternum, emphasises the rhomboids and rear delts. Both are worth programming.