Cable Straight Back Seated Row

Sit upright on the cable machine with feet flat on the floor. Reach forward and grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip. Pull the handles towards your chest while keeping your back straight. Pause briefly and then slowly extend your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Cable Straight Back Seated Row

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Cable Straight Back Seated Row using your cable.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your rhomboids.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your rhomboids rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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