How to do a Cable Row with Squat
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Cable Row with Squat
Workouts with Cable Row with Squat
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Cable Row with Squat is a combination movement that entails combining a Squat with a Cable Row. Both of the exercises included in this combination are compound movements. This exercise targets muscles in both your legs and upper body, and is a great combination for developing upper body strength in a squat position.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and the cable anchor set to belly button height. Grab ahold of the handles so that your palms are facing in with your elbows bent so that the handles start on the outsides of your torso. Bend your knees to lower yourself into a squat while simultaneously extending your arms towards the cable anchor. Stand back to upright and row the handles back into your torso keeping your spine in a neutral position throughout the movement.
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Weight Forward
Allowing your weight to shift forward can lead to the cable pulling you out of position. Keep your weight in your heels throughout the exercise.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
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Alternative Exercises to Cable Row with Squat
1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 443 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
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2. Seated Leg Curl
98.8 mSCORESWAPPED 407 TIMESSeated Leg Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. Because a vast majority of lower body exercises tend to be compound movements, this exercise is a great way to isolate the hamstrings for building muscle mass, and developing strength. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability, allowing you to focus on exertion more than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
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- Leg Curl Machine
3. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 248 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
4. Lying Hamstrings Curl
95.8 mSCORESWAPPED 215 TIMESLying Hamstring Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. There’s a relatively short list of isolation exercises for lower body muscle groups. Because of this, this is a great addition to a lower body workout in order to build strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings specifically. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
5. Kettlebell Sumo Squat
87.3 mSCORESWAPPED 191 TIMESKettlebell Sumo Squat is a squat variation. Like other squat variations, this exercise is a compound movement that targets the hamstrings, glutes and quads. Positioning your feet wider than you would for a standard squat helps to recruit the inner thigh, as well as help individuals with mobility limitations.
- Intermediate
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6. Dumbbell Good Morning
63.8 mSCORESWAPPED 177 TIMESThe Dumbbell Good Morning is a strength exercise that focuses on the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Holding a dumbbell at chest level or placing two dumbbells on the shoulders, you hinge at the hips and lean forward with a straight back, then return to the starting position. This movement emphasizes hip mobility and back strength, improving posture and stability. It's a versatile exercise suitable for all fitness levels, offering a low-impact alternative to enhance lower back and hamstring flexibility and strength.
- Beginner
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7. Kettlebell Swing
87.3 mSCORESWAPPED 154 TIMESKettlebell Swing is a compound, explosive movement that primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes. This is a great exercise for improving power and explosiveness. It's especially helpful in developing glute drive which can help improve a number of different exercises, and sport performance.
- Intermediate
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8. Deadlift
98.7 mSCORESWAPPED 150 TIMESDeadlift is one of the three powerlifting movements. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), and is great for developing strength in these muscles. It’s a staple in most programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking strength.
- Intermediate
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- Barbells
9. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
80.8 mSCORESWAPPED 124 TIMESSingle Leg Romanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. Like other Romanian Deadlift variations, this is a compound movement that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. Performing this exercise on one leg, is a great way to identify, and help address, discrepancies in mobility, strength, and stability between sides. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to improve their ability to perform a large number of other compound lower body movements like Squats, Lunges, or even Olympic lifts.
- Intermediate
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10. Romanian Deadlift
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 101 TIMESRomanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the standard Deadlift, this variation focuses mostly on driving your hips forward to raise the weight, and restricts movement in your knees. This is a great exercise for building strength, and can translate well to other exercises that utilize a hip hinge.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells