Seated Cable Rows
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Seated Cable Rows
- For this exercise you will need access to a low pulley row machine with a V-bar. Note: The V-bar will enable you to have a neutral grip where the palms of your hands face each other. To get into the starting position, first sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked.
- Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
- With your arms extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs. Your back should be slightly arched and your chest should be sticking out. You should be feeling a nice stretch on your lats as you hold the bar in front of you. This is the starting position of the exercise.
- Keeping the torso stationary, pull the handles back towards your torso while keeping the arms close to it until you touch the abdominals. Breathe out as you perform that movement. At that point you should be squeezing your back muscles hard. Hold that contraction for a second and slowly go back to the original position while breathing in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Seated Cable Rows
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Seated One-arm Cable Pulley Rows
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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2
Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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3
Elevated Cable Rows
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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4
Underhand Cable Pulldowns
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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5
Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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6
Cable Incline Pushdown
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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7
Bent Over Barbell Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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8
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
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9
Dumbbell Incline Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
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10
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do seated cable rows work?
Seated Cable Rows primarily works the upper back. The biceps and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for seated cable rows?
Seated Cable Rows uses cable machine.
Seated Cable Rows: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Seated Cable Rows is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of seated cable rows?
Seated One-arm Cable Pulley Rows, Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows, Elevated Cable Rows train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my seated cable rows reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; seated cable rows can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Seated Cable Rows with AI
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