Elevated Cable Rows

Also called elevated cable row, deficit cable row and seated row.

Works

Lats, plus upper back and traps

Equipment

Cable

Level

Intermediate

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Get a platform of some sort (it can be an aerobics or calf raise platform) that is around 4-6 inches in height.

1. Place it on the seat of the cable row machine.
2. Sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked.
3. Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
4. With your arms extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs. Your back should be slightly arched and your chest should be sticking out. You should be feeling a nice stretch on your lats as you hold the bar in front of you. This is the starting position of the exercise.
5. Keeping the torso stationary, pull the handles back towards your torso while keeping the arms close to it until you touch the abdominals. Breathe out as you perform that movement. At that point you should be squeezing your back muscles hard. Hold that contraction for a second and slowly go back to the original position while breathing in.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Sit tall on the platform.
• Pull to the belly button.
• Squeeze the shoulder blades.
• Stretch forward, keep the back flat.

Common mistakes

• Rocking the torso.
• Rounding on the stretch.
• Shrugging.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

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