Shoulders · Cable machine

Cable Standing Rear Delt Row With Rope

The cable standing rear delt row with rope is an upper-body accessory exercise that provides continuous tension on the posterior shoulders. It helps build balanced shoulder development and upper back posture, fitting best in the middle or toward the end of a pull or shoulder workout.

Muscles: Shoulders
Equipment: Cable machine
Type: Strength
Animation: Women

How to do it

Attach a rope to a cable machine at upper chest height.
Grab both ends of the rope and step back.
Pull the rope toward your face, separating the ends as you pull back.
Keep your elbows high and squeeze your rear delts and upper back.
Slowly return to the starting position with control.

Common mistakes

Dropping the elbows too low shifts the workload away from the rear delts and onto the latissimus dorsi.
Leaning back to use body momentum reduces mechanical tension on the shoulders and strains the lower back.
Pulling primarily with the biceps turns the movement into a forearm curl instead of a shoulder row.

Tips

Keep the elbows high and flared out roughly level with the shoulders throughout the entire pull.
Initiate the movement by driving the elbows straight back and outward rather than pulling with the hands.
Hold the peak contraction for one second to maximize tension on the rear deltoids.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 controlled repetitions, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets to optimize muscle growth.

Muscles worked

Cable Standing Rear Delt Row With Rope: shoulders

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

How does this exercise differ from a traditional face pull?

A rear delt row focuses on driving the elbows horizontally back and wide without substantial external shoulder rotation, isolating the posterior deltoid directly.

What can replace this exercise without a cable machine?

Chest-supported dumbbell rear delt flyes or resistance band pull-aparts serve as practical alternatives that target the same muscle group.

Similar exercises

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