Compound — back

Seated Cable Row

Cable machine

The seated cable row is one of the best exercises for building back thickness. It provides constant tension through the whole range of motion and is easy on the spine.

Rowing builds the thickness that pulldowns and pull-ups do not. Because the cable keeps tension constant from stretch to contraction, it is also one of the few back exercises where you can chase a real mind–muscle connection without the lower back becoming the limiting factor.

Technique

1. 1Sit upright with a slight bend in your knees and a neutral neck
2. 2Pull the handle toward your navel while keeping your back straight
3. 3Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end — hold for 1 second
4. 4Extend under control and let your shoulder blades separate at the start
5. 5Avoid rocking back and forth — the movement comes from arms and back

Common mistakes

• Rowing with the arms and letting the back go along for the ride

  Fix: Start the movement by pulling the shoulder blades back, then bend the elbows. If your biceps are the sore ones tomorrow, this is why.

• Swinging the torso back and forth

  Fix: Momentum feels productive and trains almost nothing. Lock the torso at roughly 90° and let only the arms and shoulder blades move.

• Rounding forward on the stretch

  Fix: Let the shoulder blades travel forward but keep the spine neutral. Shoulder blade movement is the goal; spinal flexion under load is not.

• Pulling to the chest instead of the navel

  Fix: A high pull turns it into a rear-delt exercise. Aim for the belly button to hit the lats and mid-back.

Sets and reps

How to progress

Rows tolerate volume well — 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps, two to three times a week, is sustainable. Progress by adding reps before weight, and hold the squeeze for one second at the end of every rep. If the weight stack starts moving you rather than the reverse, you have gone past useful load.

Variations

• Single-arm cable row

  One side at a time gives a greater range of motion and evens out imbalances.

• Chest-supported row

  A pad removes the lower back entirely, so the target muscles fail before your spine gets tired.

• Wide-grip row

  A wider grip pulled higher shifts emphasis to the rear delts and rhomboids.

Frequently asked questions