Seated Cable Rows

How to do the Seated Cable Rows

1. For this exercise you will need access to a low pulley row machine with a V-bar. Note: The V-bar will enable you to have a neutral grip where the palms of your hands face each other. To get into the starting position, first 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.
2. Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	middle back
Secondary	biceps, lats, shoulders
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

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

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Dumbbell Incline Row Dumbbell One-Arm Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Inverted Row Bodyweight Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In Dumbbell Alternating Renegade Row Kettlebell

Harder than the Seated Cable Rows

One Arm Chin-Up expert · Other Equipment Mixed Grip Chin expert · Other Equipment Alternating Renegade Row expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Seated Cable Rows with

Opposing chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Cable Chest Press chest Incline Cable Chest Press chest Standing Cable Chest Press chest Cable Crossover chest

Common questions

What muscles does the Seated Cable Rows work?

The Seated Cable Rows primarily works the mid back, with the biceps, lats, and shoulders as secondary movers. Bent Over Barbell Row, Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row, and Dumbbell Incline Row train the same muscle, across 8 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Seated Cable Rows?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row, Dumbbell Incline Row, and One-Arm Dumbbell Row train the same muscle, and 4 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Seated Cable Rows suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Seated Cable Rows is rated beginner. One Arm Chin-Up, Mixed Grip Chin, and Alternating Renegade Row are the progressions from here.

Where should the Seated Cable Rows go in a workout?

Early — the Seated Cable Rows is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Cable Chest Press and Incline Cable Chest Press later.

Similar exercises

Bent Over Barbell Row Barbell Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Dumbbell Incline Row Dumbbell One-Arm Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows Barbell Smith Machine Bent Over Row Machine