Close-Grip Seated Cable Row: how to do it right
In short: Close-grip seated cable row on the low pulley, targeting back thickness with peak tension in the shortened position, elbows tight along your body.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Sit with torso upright, chest open, a slight natural lower-back arch, feet braced.
- 2Grab the close handle, arms straight out in front without slumping toward the pulley.
- 3Pull your elbows back, running along your sides, bringing the handle to your navel.
- 4Squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other at the end of the range and hold for 1 second.
- 5Control the return over 2 to 3 seconds until your arms are fully extended.
- 6Keep the torso stable, without rocking forward and back.
The mistake to avoid
Don't lean back with your torso to pull with momentum.
Other common mistakes
- Pulling with the arms and losing the shoulder blade squeeze: think of starting the movement by driving the elbows back and finishing by pinching the scapulae.
- Leaning back to rip the load up: keep the torso fixed and reduce the weight to pull cleanly.
- Not marking the final contraction: hold 1 second in the shortened position, that's where the work is.
- Returning too fast with relaxed arms: control the lengthening without letting the load snap you back all at once.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Back (thickness)
- Supporting:
- Back (width), Biceps
The lats and especially the teres major work on thickness. The rhomboids and middle trap pull the shoulder blades together. The rear delt assists. The biceps and brachialis flex the elbow. The spinal erectors brace the trunk.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Sit with torso upright, chest open, a slight lower-back arch, feet braced. Arms straight out in front without slumping, then pull your elbows back along your sides until the handle touches your navel. Squeeze your shoulder blades for 1 second then control the return over 2 to 3 seconds.
How far should I pull?
Bring the handle to your navel while squeezing your shoulder blades hard, that's where tension is highest, hold for 1 second. At the front, let your arms lengthen fully without slumping toward the pulley. Go for the full range you can control, not the one you rip out by wriggling.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel back thickness, not just your arms. Imagine crushing a nut between your shoulder blades and hold for a full second at the end of the pull. Keep your elbows glued to your sides, if they flare you shift the work to the rear shoulder and lose the mid-back.
How fast should I do the movement?
Pull firmly, hold 1 second in the squeezed position, then brake the return over 2 to 3 seconds until your arms are straight. It's this control on the return and the lock at the end of the range that do the work, not speed.
How do I breathe?
Inhale with arms straight in the lengthened position, exhale as you pull toward you and hold the air during the final lock. Belly braced and lower back stable the whole time so you don't compensate with the lower back.