Back · Cable machine

Cable Seated Row

The cable seated row is a core horizontal pulling exercise designed to build back thickness and posture. It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and middle trapezius, serving as a staple movement for lifters of all levels in any pull workout.

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

How to do it

Sit at the cable row station with your feet placed on the footrests.
Bend your knees slightly and keep your back straight.
Grasp the handle or attachment with both hands.
Lean slightly forward from your hips, keeping your back straight, then pull the handle towards your abdomen.
Keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
Focus on using the muscles of your middle and upper back.
Slowly return to the starting position, extending your arms and leaning forward slightly while keeping your back straight.

Common mistakes

Swinging your torso back and forth uses momentum to move the weight, which reduces back activation and strains the lumbar spine.
Rounding your spine when reaching forward compromises your posture and significantly increases the risk of lower back injury.
Shrugging your shoulders upward during the pull shifts mechanical tension away from the lats to the upper traps and neck.
Pulling solely with the arms without retracting the shoulder blades overworks the biceps and limits recruitment of the back musculature.

Tips

Initiate each pull by retracting and depressing your shoulder blades before flexing your elbows.
Hold a brief pause at the chest to squeeze your back muscles before controlling the weight on the way forward.
Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the set to maintain pelvic stability and prevent excess hamstring tension.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy and strength, perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. For endurance, opt for 12 to 15 repetitions with roughly 60 seconds of rest.

Muscles worked

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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Questions

What muscles does the cable seated row work?

It targets the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and middle trapezius, with secondary involvement from the rear deltoids, biceps, and erector spinae.

Is the cable seated row safe for the lower back?

Because the torso remains relatively upright, it places less compressive stress on the spine than free-weight bent-over rows, though you should stop and consult a specialist if pain occurs.

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