Back · Cable machine

Cable Low Row with Rope Attachment

The cable low row with a rope attachment is a horizontal pulling movement that targets the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle trapezius, and rear deltoids. The flexibility of the rope allows for a customized wrist path and greater peak contraction, making it an excellent accessory exercise for the middle or end of a back session.

Muscles: Back
Equipment: Cable machine
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Sit on the ground or on a bench facing a cable machine with a rope attachment set at the lowest position.
Grab the rope with both hands, palms facing each other.
Pull the rope towards your abdomen, separating the ends of the rope as you pull.
Drive your elbows back and squeeze your back muscles.
Return to the starting position with control.

Common mistakes

Swinging your torso backward relies on momentum and places unnecessary shearing stress on the lower back.
Pulling strictly with your arms without retracting your shoulder blades significantly diminishes back muscle activation.
Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears redirects the workload away from the lats to the upper traps and neck.
Rounding your spine during the eccentric return places the lumbar discs under harmful compressive strain.

Tips

Drive your elbows back and pull the ends of the rope apart as they reach your abdomen to maximize upper-back contraction.
Initiate the movement by pinching your shoulder blades together before you bend your arms.
Resist the cable on the way forward to fully stretch your lats under constant tension.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets to stimulate muscle growth. For muscular endurance, lower the resistance and complete 15 to 20 controlled repetitions.

Muscles worked

Cable Low Row with Rope Attachment: back

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.

Questions

Why choose a rope attachment over a rigid V-bar handle?

The rope allows your wrists to move freely and enables you to pull past your torso, resulting in a deeper contraction of the mid-back and rear delts.

Can this exercise be replicated at home without a cable stack?

You can anchor a resistance band around a low, stable object and grip the ends to mimic the resistance curve and freedom of motion of the rope.

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