All Exercises

Cable Elevated Row

Perform the Cable Elevated Row to build a strong, sculpted back. This exercise effectively targets your latissimus dorsi, enhancing posture and pulling

Intermediate
Compound
Pull
2 min per set1 min rest

Description

A strength training exercise targeting the back muscles, where the individual pulls a weighted bar towards their chest while keeping elbows close to the body.

How to Do Cable Elevated Row

  1. 1
    Setup

    Adjust the cable pulley to a high position, typically above head height. Attach a straight bar or V-bar handle to the cable.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Stand facing the cable machine, take a few steps back to create initial tension, and assume a stable staggered stance or stand with feet shoulder-width apart.

  3. 3
    Setup

    Grip the handle with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, keeping your arms fully extended and a slight bend in your knees. Lean back slightly, maintaining a straight back and engaged core.

  4. 4

    Initiate the pull by retracting your shoulder blades, then drive your elbows down and back towards your hips, pulling the handle towards your upper chest or sternum.

  5. 5

    Squeeze your latissimus dorsi forcefully at the peak contraction, ensuring your chest is open and shoulders are pulled down away from your ears.

  6. 6

    Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position with control, allowing your shoulder blades to protract and feeling a stretch in your lats without rounding your upper back.

Tips

  • Focus on initiating the pull with your back muscles, specifically the lats, rather than relying on your biceps to move the weight.
  • Maintain a stable torso throughout the movement; avoid excessive rocking back and forth to ensure the tension stays on your back muscles.
  • Keep your chest up and shoulders pulled away from your ears to maximize lat engagement and prevent upper trapezius dominance.
  • Control the eccentric (return) phase of the movement, resisting the weight as it extends your arms to enhance muscle growth and control.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Rounding the back during the pull places undue stress on the spine; keep your chest up and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
  • ×Using momentum to swing the weight reduces muscle activation; focus on a controlled, deliberate pull and release to maximize lat engagement.
  • ×Shrugging the shoulders up towards the ears during the pull over-activates the traps; keep your shoulders depressed and retracted to isolate the lats effectively.

Variations

Related Exercises

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