Equipment
The seated cable row machine is one of the simplest ways to train the middle back. You sit with your feet braced and pull a handle toward your stomach against a weight stack.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
A low pulley runs level with your torso, so the resistance pulls straight forward. Because you are seated and braced, the lower back has less to do than in a bent-over row, which lets you focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together.
02
Sit tall with a slight bend in the knees, pull the handle toward your lower ribs, and drive your elbows back until your shoulder blades meet. Pause, then let your arms extend and your shoulder blades spread forward under control. Avoid rocking the torso back and forth to move the weight. One-arm rows let you check that both sides are working equally.
03
Use a close neutral-grip handle for general back work, or one-arm rows to fix imbalances. Seated rows pair well with a vertical pull such as the lat pulldown.
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Intermediate compound cable row machine exercise for the middle back, also working the forearms and biceps.
Intermediate compound cable row machine exercise for the middle back, also working the forearms and biceps.
Free GymStreak calculators that go with cable row machine training.
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