How to do a Hammerstrength High Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Hammerstrength High Row
Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
Workouts with Hammerstrength High Row
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Hammerstrength 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.
- Sit upright in a hammerstrength high row machine pressing your chest against the support pad.
- Extend your arms to grab ahold of the handles with an overhand grip.
- Flex your elbows past your sides at a 45 degree angle from your torso.
- Once the handles have reached your chest, return to the starting position.
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Hammerstrength Equipment
Sit back, and keep your shoulder blades against the pad. Hammerstrength equipment is designed to help you get into the correct position. If you’re sitting forward, and pulling your back off the pad, you may be compromising the effectiveness of the exercise, or modifying it to be a different variation entirely.
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.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Hammerstrength High 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 Hammerstrength High Row
1. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 15,508 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
2. Hammerstrength Iso Row
93 mSCORESWAPPED 13,581 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)
3. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 13,440 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. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 10,600 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
5. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 8,559 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.
6. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 4,112 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. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 3,109 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.
8. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 2,782 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
9. Smith Machine Bent Over Row
90.9 mSCORESWAPPED 2,665 TIMESThis exercise is a Smith Machine variation on Bent Over Row. Like the standard version, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. Using a Smith Machine restricts your range of motion, and adds significantly more stability to the movement. This is a great variation to learn and improve your Bent Over Row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Smith Machine
10. T-Bar Row
81.2 mSCORESWAPPED 2,592 TIMEST-Bar Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back but also engages the shoulders and biceps. By using a T-Bar, you have a more stable grip and can lift heavier weights compared to other row variations. The fixed bar path helps maintain proper form, making this exercise a great choice for building back strength and muscle mass.
- Intermediate
- Back
- T Bar