cable rope seated row: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of cable rope seated row

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on the rowing machine with your feet flat on the footrests and knees slightly bent.
Step:2 Grasp the cable ropes with an overhand grip, palms facing each other.
Step:3 Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
Step:4 Pull the cable ropes towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Step:5 Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Row machine Rope
Body part: Back
Target muscle: Trapezius Latissimus dorsi Rhomboids
Secondary muscle: Biceps Forearms Lower back Posterior deltoid

Hypertrophy grade

Good8 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The seated pulley row with rope offers excellent stability, allowing you to concentrate the tension on the back, particularly the rhomboids and the latissimus dorsi. The limitation rarely comes from the grip, which favors isolated back work. Unlike free rowing with dumbbells, the tension profile remains constant even in the stretched position. The exercise lends itself well to progressive overload, with low technical risk and good management of systemic fatigue.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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cable rope seated row

How to do this exercise

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