How to do a Cable Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Cable Row
Workouts with Cable Row
Instructions for Proper Form
Cable 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.
- Position yourself on the bench, and place both feet on their respective foot plates. Bend your knees slightly.
- Lean forward, and grasp the handle with both hands, while keeping your back straight.
- Engage your back to pull the handles towards your torso.
- Simultaneously engage your lower back to lean back slightly.
- Pinch your shoulder blades together, and hold this position for a moment at the end of the movement.
- Slowly return to the starting position while maintaining tension in your back.
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Over Recruiting Biceps
While your biceps should be involved, you should be feeling a majority of the tension in your back. Try focusing on driving your elbow back instead of bringing the weight towards your chest. This mindset shift will help you recruit the proper muscle groups for this exercise.
Don’t Use Momentum
Extending your lower back can help you move more weight by recruiting additional muscle groups to help you build momentum. Keep your torso stable by engaging your core, and limit your movement to the desired exercise. You may need to reduce your weight to maintain proper form.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Cable Row standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps45lbs1 Rep Max55lbs
- intermediate8reps55lbs70lbs
- advanced8reps70lbs90lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Cable Row
1. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 26,176 TIMESLike other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. Unlike other variations, using a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is excellent exercise for learning or practicing the movement of a seated row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Row Machine
2. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 25,238 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
3. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 19,843 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
4. Hammerstrength Iso Row
93 mSCORESWAPPED 9,826 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is fairly similar to other seated rows, however the Hammerstrength Machine will restrict your range of motion to an arc, rather than a straight line. The machine also adds stability to the movement, which allows you to focus your attention on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
5. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 9,330 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
6. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 8,970 TIMESBent Over Barbell row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders, traps, and biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement compared to something like dumbbells which can help you focus on exerting strength rather than stabilizing the movement. It’s a great exercise for building strength, and can be a way to start learning more advanced exercises like Olympic Lifts.
7. Hammerstrength High Row
91.5 mSCORESWAPPED 6,849 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is somewhere in between a Lat Pull Down and a Seated Row. The Hammerstrength Machine helps restrict your range of motion by moving on a set path, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is a great exercise for building strength, and the use of a machine allows you to focus more of your efforts on exertion rather than form.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
8. Shotgun Row
84.6 mSCORESWAPPED 4,924 TIMESShotgun Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. The use of a cable machine gives you control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This makes this a great exercise for adding some variety to your rows. By targeting each side independently, you help prevent any compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. You can easily adapt this exercise by adjusting the pulley on the cable machine to target more specific functional applications.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
9. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 4,815 TIMESPull Ups are compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily target the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. While this exercise does have a decently high barrier to entry, it can be easily adapted to match your current conditioning with weighted or assisted variations. This is an excellent exercise for building functional strength and body control.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Pull Up Bar
10. Straight-Arm Pulldown
81.4 mSCORESWAPPED 3,865 TIMESThis is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your back. Pulling the bar down in an arc with your arms straight helps to remove muscle groups like biceps from the movement, and allows you to focus your attention on your back. You can further adjust where in your back you’re targeting by moving your hands closer to the ends of the bar.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown