Cable Bar Seated Row
Auto DetectedA horizontal pulling exercise using a straight bar attachment on a cable machine to target the upper back, lats, and rear delts for improved posture and back thickness.
About Exercise
Equipment
Single Cable Machine, V-Bar Cable Attachment
Difficulty
2/5 • Beginner
Primary Muscle Groups
Lats, Traps
Secondary Muscles
Biceps, Lower Back, Forearms
Accessory Muscles
Abs
Popularity Score
9
Goals
Training Style
Setup Requirements
Requires Rack
No
Requires Bench
Yes
Requires Spotter
No
Space Needed
Small
Noise Level
Low
Muscle Breakdown
View Muscle MapLats
9/10Traps
8/10Mid Traps, Lower Traps
Shoulders
6/10Rear Delts
Biceps
5/10Lower Back
3/10Erector Spinae
Forearms
3/10Flexors
Abs
2/10Programming
Typical Rep Range
8-12 reps
Rest Between Sets
60-90 seconds
How to Perform
Sit on the machine with feet braced and knees slightly bent. Grasp the straight bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and sit upright with arms fully extended.
- Brace your core and retract your shoulder blades.
- Pull the bar toward your upper abdominals, driving your elbows back.
- Squeeze your back muscles firmly at the peak of the movement.
- Control the weight back to the starting position, allowing your arms to fully extend.
- Let your shoulder blades protract slightly at the end of the rep without rounding your lower back.
Coaching Tips
Form Cues
- Chest up
- Drive elbows back
- Squeeze shoulder blades
- Control the return
- Keep wrists straight
Breathing
Exhale as you pull the bar toward your torso; inhale as you return to the starting position.
Tempo
2-1-2
Range of Motion
From full arm extension with protracted shoulders to the bar touching the upper abdomen with retracted shoulders.
Safety
Safety Notes
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Avoid excessive swinging of the torso.
- Do not lock your knees completely.
Spotting
Not recommended; use the weight stack pin to adjust load safely.
Common Mistakes
- Leaning back too far
- Using momentum
- Shrugging shoulders
- Rounding the lower back
- Pulling with biceps only
When to Avoid
- Acute lower back pain
- Shoulder impingement
- Recent rotator cuff injury
Flexibility Needed
- Adequate shoulder flexion for arm extension
- Thoracic spine mobility for retraction
Build Up First
- Basic hip hinge awareness
- Familiarity with pulling movements like rows
Also known as
Straight Bar Cable Row, Seated Row, Wide Grip Cable Row, Cable Row
Found this helpful?
Share your thoughts or help us improve this guide.
Similar Exercises
Cable Hammer-Grip Wide Seated Row
Single Cable Machine, Wide Hammer Grip Cable Attachment
Lats, Traps
Cable V-Handle Seated Row
Single Cable Machine, V-Bar Cable Attachment
Lats, Traps
Cable Wide-Grip Seated Row
Single Cable Machine, Wide Bar Cable Attachment
Lats, Traps
Cable Rope Straight Arm Pull Down
Single Cable Machine, Rope Cable Attachment
Lats
Cable Bar Straight Arm Pull Down
Single Cable Machine
Lats
Cable Single-Arm Row
Single Cable Machine
Lats
Cable Lat Pull Down V-Grip (Narrow Hammer)
V-Bar Cable Attachment, Single Cable Machine
Lats
Cable Lat Prayer Pull Down
Single Cable Machine, Bar Cable Attachment
Lats
Cable Rope Upright Row
Single Cable Machine, Rope Cable Attachment
Shoulders, Traps
Cable Row with Squat
Single Cable Machine
Quads, Glutes
Master your movement.
Experience automatic exercise detection and rep counting - powered by the motion of your Apple Watch.
subscribe to our newsletter
ProductContact Us
hello@motra.comFind Us
130 Spadina Avenue, Toronto,
Ontario, M5V 0H4, Canada
©2026 All Rights Reserved
