Seated Cable RowsMuscles Worked
Seated cable rows work your upper back, the muscles that squeeze your shoulder blades together, with your lats, biceps and rear delts helping. The cable keeps tension on through the whole rep, and the neutral V-handle makes it an easy row to learn and feel.
PrimaryUpper Back
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Attach a V-handle to the low pulley, sit on the seat, and brace your feet against the platform with your knees slightly bent.
- Reach forward with a flat back to grab the handle, then sit up tall until your torso is upright and your arms are extended.
- Brace your core, lift your chest, and let your shoulders reach forward slightly to feel a stretch through your back.
- Pull the handle to your upper stomach, driving your elbows back close to your sides and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause briefly, then let the handle move forward slowly until your arms are straight again, keeping your torso still.
Form tips
- Stay upright and avoid rocking back to move the weight; a small forward reach at the start is fine, a big swing is not.
- Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears as you pull.
- Finish each rep with your elbows, not by bending your wrists or curling the handle.
Why it made the list
No. 3 of 12
Best Upper Back Exercises
Constant tension horizontal pull. Machine-guided so easy to learn. Excellent for mind-muscle connection.
More upper back exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Seated Cable Rows sets in KasMaker and watch your upper back, biceps, lats, and shoulders fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
