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Seated Cable Row
Positions & Range of Motion
- Start
- seated tall at the cable station, knees slightly bent, feet braced on the platform, holding the handle with arms fully extended and trunk upright
- End
- handle pulled to the lower ribs/upper abdomen with elbows driven straight back and shoulder blades squeezed together, trunk still and upright
- Range of Motion
- shoulder extension with elbow flexion and scapular retraction through the full pull, then controlled return to full-reach protraction
How to Perform
Sit tall at a cable row station with knees slightly bent and feet braced on the platform, holding the handle with arms extended. Pull the handle toward your lower ribs/upper abdomen by driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades together, keeping the trunk upright and still. Slowly return to the start under control, letting the shoulder blades protract without rounding the lower back.
Opens a YouTube search for “Seated Cable Row”
Coaching Cues
- 1
Lead with your elbows — imagine driving them back into the wall behind you
(external) - 2
At the end of the pull, squeeze your shoulder blades together like you're pinching a pencil between them
(external) - 3
Keep your chest tall and torso still — no rocking backward to finish the rep
(internal) - 4
Control the return: let your arms straighten slowly and your shoulder blades glide forward without rounding your low back
(internal)
Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data
2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions, 2-3 sessions per week, consistent with general resistance-training guidelines for strength and hypertrophy in novice-to-intermediate trainees; loads around 60-80% 1RM taken near (not to) failure. For strength emphasis, 4-6 reps at heavier loads with longer rest.
Surface EMG studies of horizontal rowing variations consistently show high activation of the latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, and rhomboid region, with meaningful biceps brachii and posterior deltoid contribution. Comparative work on rowing exercises (inverted row vs. bent-over row vs. standing cable row) indicates cable rows produce solid upper-back activation with lower lumbar spine loading than free-weight bent-over rows, making the seated cable row a common choice when spinal load must be moderated. Emphasizing full scapular retraction at end-range increases middle/lower trapezius activity, while allowing torso lean-back shifts work toward the lumbar erectors and reduces upper-back specificity. Grip orientation modestly shifts elbow-flexor emphasis (supinated favors biceps; neutral favors brachioradialis) without materially changing back activation.
Muscles Involved (18)
Primary Movers
Secondary Movers
Stabilizers
Lengthened / Stretched
Synergists & Assistors
Easier Variations ↓
Seated band row
Perform the same movement seated on the floor or a bench with a resistance band looped around the feet, giving lighter and more forgiving resistance.
Chest-supported machine row
Row on a machine with a chest pad so the trunk is externally supported, removing the spinal-stabilization demand and isolating the pulling pattern.
Harder Variations ↑
Single-arm cable row
Row one arm at a time, adding an anti-rotation core demand and exposing side-to-side strength asymmetries.
Bent-over barbell row
Free-weight row in a hip-hinge position, adding substantial posterior-chain and trunk-stability demand alongside the pull.
Target Movements (3)
Why This Exercise Matters
Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:
Goals This Helps With
Rehab, performance, prevention, and mobility goals this exercise supports — essential means it's a cornerstone:
Research Notes
claude-researched 2026-07; muscle/movement links validated against the roster. Adversarial clinical verification pending — do not promote past needs_review without human review.