Cable Low Seated Row

1. Sit facing the cable machine with your feet braced against the footplate and knees slightly bent.
2. Grip the handle with a neutral grip, palms facing each other.
3. Sit up tall with your chest lifted and arms extended toward the pulley.
4. Brace your core and pull the handle toward your torso by driving your elbows straight back.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as the handle reaches your midsection.
6. Pause briefly for a full contraction through your back.
7. Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position, allowing a full stretch.
8. Keep your torso upright throughout, avoiding any backward lean to assist the pull.

Common Mistakes

• Leaning back to move the weight: Using body momentum instead of the back muscles turns the row into a swinging motion. Keep your torso stable and let your arms and back do the work.
• Rounding the shoulders forward at the start: Letting your upper back round at full extension reduces the stretch and sets up poor posture for the pull. Keep your chest lifted before starting each rep.
• Pulling with the arms only: Bending the elbows without driving them back shifts emphasis to the biceps instead of the back. Focus on pulling your elbows behind your torso.
• Using too much weight: Overloading the stack forces you to jerk the handle and cheat the range of motion. Reduce the load until you can row with strict, controlled form.