Elevated Cable Rows

How to do the Elevated Cable Rows

1. Get a platform of some sort (it can be an aerobics or calf raise platform) that is around 4-6 inches in height.
2. Place it on the seat of the cable row machine.
3. Sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked.
4. Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
5. With your arms extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs. Your back should be slightly arched and your chest should be sticking out. You should be feeling a nice stretch on your lats as you hold the bar in front of you. This is the starting position of the exercise.
6. Keeping the torso stationary, pull the handles back towards your torso while keeping the arms close to it until you touch the abdominals. Breathe out as you perform that movement. At that point you should be squeezing your back muscles hard. Hold that contraction for a second and slowly go back to the original position while breathing in.
7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	lats
Secondary	middle back, traps
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Chin-Up Bodyweight Pullups Bodyweight V-Bar Pullup Bodyweight Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up Bodyweight Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover Barbell Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment

Easier than the Elevated Cable Rows

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Chin-Up beginner · Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown beginner · Cable Machine Kneeling High Pulley Row beginner · Cable Machine

Superset the Elevated Cable Rows with

Opposing shoulders and chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Face Pull shoulders Flat Bench Cable Flyes chest Incline Cable Flye chest Alternating Cable Shoulder Press shoulders

Common questions

What muscles does the Elevated Cable Rows work?

The Elevated Cable Rows primarily works the lats, with the mid back and traps as secondary movers. Kipping Muscle Up, Muscle Up, and Chin-Up train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Elevated Cable Rows?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Chin-Up, Pullups, and V-Bar Pullup train the same muscle, and 8 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Elevated Cable Rows suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Chin-Up, Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown, and Kneeling High Pulley Row and work up.

Where should the Elevated Cable Rows go in a workout?

Early — the Elevated Cable Rows is compound, working 3 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Face Pull and Flat Bench Cable Flyes later.

Similar exercises

Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment Muscle Up Other Equipment Chin-Up Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Gironda Sternum Chins Other Equipment