Seated Cable Row: Easy Guide (Tips, Benefits and Video Demo)

Training

Seated Cable Row: Easy Guide (Tips, Benefits and Video Demo)

Written by Herman Leir

The seated cable row is a classic upper-body exercise to build a strong back. Whether your goal is to thicken up your mid-back, pull better or address muscle imbalances, the cable row is a staple in any training program.

This guide will teach you how to do seated cable rows with perfect form and outline the many benefits, along with a few common mistakes to avoid and tips from the pros to help you get the most out of every pull.

How to perform the Seated Cable Row (Video):

Personal trainer from the HermQ team showing how to do the Seated Cable Row.

Seated Cable Row: How To

A woman doing Seated cable row facing the camera. — **Sit Tall, Don’t Lean Too Far Back**

Sit on the bench or pad and position your feet flat on the platform. Bend your knees slightly.
Grip the handle (usually a V-bar or neutral grip) and sit up tall, keeping your spine neutral and your chest up.
Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blades back and down, then drive your elbows straight back and behind you, maintaining a path close to your sides.
Draw the handle back toward your body — typically around you lower ribs or upper abdomen.
Pause at the end and squeeze your back muscles, then slowly release to return the handle to the start.

Seated Cable Row: Benefits

A man doing Seated cable row shirtless, showing the muscles involved. — **Pull the Handle to Your Lower Abs** – Best for hitting lats and mid-back.

Builds Mid-Back Thickness and Strength

The seated cable row works the rhomboids, lats, traps, and rear delts, helping to give your back that full, muscular appearance from behind. It’s particularly useful for adding a bit of thickness to mid-back, which pairs nicely with other vertical pulls, such as pulldowns or pull-ups.

Enhances Arm and Grip Strength

Although the back is the primary focus, your forearms and biceps assist throughout the row. This makes the movement efficient for building total upper-body pulling strength and grip.

Good for All Levels of Fitness

The machine makes it easy to vary the resistance and modify your form.

Seated Cable Row: Mistakes to Avoid

A woman in sports clothes doing seated row. — **Squeeze Shoulder Blades Together** – Peak contraction.

Using Momentum; Rocking your upper body back in that manner to jerk the weight up shifts the load from the back to the hips. Make sure to use a controlled tempo and move only your arms and shoulder blades.

Expert Training Tips

Alternate Grips Over the Course of Time; Experiment with a neutral grip, wide-bar placement, or rope handles in training cycles to target different parts of your back. Changing your grip surfaces will ensure your workout stays exciting.
Control the Negative; Slow down the eccentric phase, the return to the starting point. Take 2-3 seconds to extend your arms while keeping your back tight. This controlled descent increases time under tension and results in greater strength and muscle growth.