Seated Cable Row

How to perform the Seated Cable Row

1. Sit with your feet planted on the platform, a slight bend in the knees, and your chest up; do not lock the knees out.
2. Grip the handle with a neutral grip and start each set with arms extended, torso roughly upright, and shoulder blades protracted into a slight stretch.
3. Initiate the rep by retracting the shoulder blades — pull the blades together first, then let the elbows bend.
4. Pull the handle toward your lower ribs or navel by driving the elbows back along your sides, keeping the torso angle within about 10 degrees of vertical.
5. Squeeze the back at the contracted position without shrugging or rocking the torso back to artificially lengthen the rep.
6. Reverse the path under control, letting the shoulder blades protract at the end of the eccentric to fully load the mid-back stretch.

Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Rocking the torso back 45 degrees on every rep to artificially extend the range of motion.
• •Rounding the lower back at the bottom of the eccentric to chase a deeper stretch.
• •Pulling only with the arms while the shoulder blades stay protracted, missing the mid-back contribution entirely.
• •Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears at the contracted position instead of squeezing the blades together and down.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.