Muscles worked
What the cable row trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Pick the handle. Clip a close-grip V-handle to the low cable for the standard version. A wide bar or single handle changes the feel, but the setup is the same.
- 02
Choose the weight. Start with a load you can pull for clean reps without leaning back. You can add plates once your torso stays still all set.
- 03
Feet on the platform. Sit on the bench and press your feet flat against the foot plates, about hip width apart, with your knees slightly bent and never locked.
- 04
Get the handle without straining. Bend your knees and lean in to grab the handle, then push through your legs to slide back into a tall seat. Do not reach for it with a rounded back.
- 05
Sit tall. Sit up with your chest proud and your torso upright, close to vertical. Your arms are straight, the cable is tight, and the weight is off the stack.
Step by step
How to do the cable row
- 01
Brace. Take a breath and tighten your trunk so your torso stays still. Shoulders stay down, away from your ears.
- 02
Pull. Drive your elbows straight back, close to your sides, and pull the handle to your stomach, around your belly button.
- 03
Squeeze. Finish with your shoulder blades pulled together and your chest up. Pause for a moment without leaning back to get there.
- 04
Return. Let your arms straighten under control, about as slowly as you pulled, and let your shoulder blades slide forward with them. Your torso stays upright.
- 05
Finish the set. After the last rep, bend your knees and lean in from the hips to lower the weight back to the stack. Do not let it slam.
Cues to say in your head
- Sit tall
- Elbows to your back pockets
- Handle to belly button
- Squeeze, then reach
- Chest stays proud
- Slow on the way back
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Rocking back to finish the pull
Keep your torso upright the whole set. If you need to swing back to bring the handle in, the weight is too heavy.
Rounding forward on the return
Let your arms and shoulder blades reach, not your spine. Stop the return when your arms are straight and you are still sitting tall.
Shrugging the shoulders up
Keep your shoulders down and pull with your elbows. Shrugging moves the work to the upper traps and neck.
Pulling only with the arms
Think about driving your elbows back, not curling the handle. Finish each rep by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Letting the stack yank the handle back
Control the return. A fast drop loses tension on the back and pulls you out of position.
Locked knees
Keep a slight bend in your knees so your hips and lower back are not pulled into a rounded position.
Stay safe
The cable row is one of the safer rows to push hard, because missing a rep just means letting your arms straighten under control while you stay seated. Do not let go of the handle with the weight up, and always bend your knees and lean in to set the stack down. Choose a load that lets you sit still; jerking heavy weight with a rounded back is where lower back strain tends to come from. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your back, shoulder or elbow, and get it checked if it does not settle.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 5 to 8 | 75–85% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 65–78% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–62% 1RM | 45 to 90 s |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–168lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. Where most people should train this lift. Pause the squeeze and take sets close to failure.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Cable Row questions
What muscles does the seated cable row work?
Mainly the lats and the mid back muscles, the rhomboids and middle traps, which pull your shoulder blades together. The rear shoulders and biceps help, and your lower back and abs hold your torso still.
Is the seated row machine better than the cable row?
Neither is better; they train the same muscles. A seated row machine braces your chest against a pad so your lower back does less work, while the cable row asks you to hold yourself upright and lets you change handles.
How do you do a single arm cable row?
Clip a single D-handle to a cable at about waist height, sit or stand facing it and row the handle to your hip. A slight turn of your torso is fine, but keep your hips steady, let your shoulder blade reach forward on the return, then do the same reps on the other side.
Should you lean back on a cable row?
No. Keep your torso upright, close to vertical, from the first rep to the last and let your arms and shoulder blades do the moving. If you have to lean back to finish the rep, lower the weight.
Which handle is best for seated cable rows?
The close-grip V-handle is the standard and keeps your elbows close, which tends to suit the lats. A wider bar lets your elbows travel out and usually puts a bit more work on the upper back and rear shoulders.
How many sets and reps of cable rows should I do?
For most people, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps works well for building muscle. Use 5 to 8 reps for strength and 15 to 20 for endurance, keeping every rep strict.
Train in Protocol
Log your cable row by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.