Cable Seated Row With V Bar

1. Attach the V bar to the low pulley and sit on the bench with your feet braced on the platform, knees slightly bent.
2. Reach forward and grab the handle with both palms facing each other, then sit back until your torso is upright.
3. Start with arms extended, chest up, and a slight stretch through your lats.
4. Pull the handle toward your upper belly by driving your elbows straight back past your torso.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, keeping the elbows close to your sides.
6. Pause for a moment with the handle at your midsection.
7. Let the weight pull your arms back to full extension under control, allowing a small forward reach through the shoulders without collapsing your lower back.
8. Repeat, keeping the torso nearly still from rep to rep.

Common Mistakes

• Rocking the torso for momentum: swinging back on every pull turns the row into a lower-back exercise. Keep the torso within a few degrees of vertical and make the arms and back do the work.
• Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears: pulling with the traps instead of driving the elbows back robs the lats and mid-back. Keep the shoulders down and lead with the elbows.
• Cutting the stretch short: stopping with bent arms halves the range of motion. Let the arms fully lengthen at the start of every rep while keeping the chest proud.
• Yanking the stack: jerking the handle unloads the muscle mid-rep. Pull smoothly and control the return for a count of two.