I’ve done seated cable rows for quite some time. But I recently tried the standing cable row.
In this article, I’ll share my experiences trying the standing cable row. I’ll compare it to the seated cable row, and I’ll hone in on how to do a standing cable row with great form!
The quick rundown: BOTH variations of this row exercise are great options.
The seated cable row is better if you want to:
- Lift more weight
- Focus MORE on back muscles
When it comes to the standing cable row, I recommend using this exercise:
- As an accessory move for AFTER you’ve already performed a seated cable row
- Using lighter weight
- To work out more muscles than just your back
Here at Back Muscle Solutions, we try out back exercises for you and share the results, so you don't have to do all the dirty work. That’s because back health is kind of our thing. In fact, we specialize in ALL the best resources for back massage, back stretches, and back strengthening.
And it’s all because our founder, Ben, got sick of suffering from his own back pain. So, he created the QL Claw–a back massage device that inspired our entire brand and started us on this journey.
More about Ben’s Story HERE.
Check out more about the QL Claw HERE.
So today, we’ll explore:
How to Do a Standing Cable Row
How to Do a Seated Cable Row
Standing Cable Row Muscles Worked
Standing Cable Row Benefits
Standing Cable Row: 5 Pro Tips
Standing Cable Row Variations:
Standing Cbale Row vs. Seated Cable Row
Standing Single Arm Cable Row
Back Strengthening Resources
Standing Cable Row FAQs
How to Do a Standing Cable Row
To perform a standing cable row, you’ll need to find a cable machine. In the pro tips section, I’ll get into the nuances of cable height and also the best attachment to select.
But for now, I’ll give the basic instructions.
1) Attach a Double D-handle to a cable pulley machine.
2) Set the cable to just below chest height.
3) Grab the handle with both hands, and step back from the machine until you feel some tension on the cable.
4) Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart.
5) Bring your butt down and back, allowing your knees to slightly bend, and keeping your back flat, and chest puffed out.
6) Set your shoulder blades down and back before beginning the motion.
7) Now, pull the cable in towards you–just below your chest–keeping your arms tucked close, and drawing your shoulder blades together.
8) Pause briefly at the top of the motion.
9) Then, slowly return to the starting position, allowing your arms and shoulders to stretch forward.
10) Repeat for the desired amount of reps.
How to Do a Seated Cable Row
Real quick: let me touch on instructions for how to do a seated cable row. It’s really similar but you’re…of course..seated!
1) Find a seated station at a cable machine.
2) You can use a Double D-handle for this one as well.
3) Sit upright with good posture.
4) Row the handle in towards your abdomen, leaning back slightly as you row.
5) Slowly return back to the starting position.
Standing Cable Row Muscles Worked
So now that you know the basic moves of a standing cable row, you can probably already see that this move is MORE than just a back exercise.
And that’s exactly what I found when I tried it out.
For example, let’s compare this to another row. Think about the chest-supported row machine. With this move, the chest pad stabilizes your ENTIRE body–so you can focus just on your back muscles.
In the standing cable row, you’re involving WAY more body parts than just your back when you row. You’ll feel it in your core and your legs and even your biceps a little.
Here’s a list of the muscles worked.
Back Muscles Worked During a Standing Cable Row
- Lats
- Deltoids
- Traps
Other Muscles Worked During a Standing Cable Row
- Core
- Legs
- Biceps
Standing Cable Row Benefits
There are loads of benefits to adding the standing cable row in to your workout routine.
Standing Cable Row Benefit #1: Lower Back-Safe!
If you’re like me, and you’ve suffered from lower back pain in your life (who hasn’t?), then you’ll find the standing cable row a safer option than many other rows–specifically rows that have you bending over.
Even though I’ve recovered from my own lower back injury, I feel it in my lower back whenever I try the bent-over row.
So for me, I liked how the standing cable row felt waaay better than its bent-over cousin. You’ll know when you try an exercise if it just doesn’t feel right in your back. For me, when I tried the standing cable row, it felt comfortable, solid, and safe.
And I didn’t feel any soreness in my back afterward (except the good kind after a workout).
For me, it worked.
Standing Cable Row Benefit #2: Compound Back Exercise
The standing cable row is a compound back exercise–meaning it’s an exercise that works multiple muscle groups at once. So, you get a bit more bang for your buck.
If you compare this to the seated cable row, for example, the standing cable row variation adds in some leg, core, and bicep work.
Standing Cable Row Benefit #3: Good for Beginners
The standing cable row can be a really great option for beginners to the workout world because the exercise itself is designed for lighter weight.
You’ll find that you’ll probably be able to lift way LESS than with a seated cable row, and that’s because you don’t have the support of your legs against the footstands. Instead, your legs are actually working, and your body has less resistance against the weight during a standing cable row.
If you’re an intense gym bro, then this probably makes the standing cable row less appealing. But if you’re just figuring out how to perform a row, the standing cable row can be a great option.
Standing Cable Row Benefit #4: Good for Posture
And lastly, any time we work those upper back muscles, we can really help our overall posture.
I know personally, I always need help when it comes to posture.
And it definitely doesn’t help when you ONLY work out your chest at the gym without balancing it out with your back.
So, the standing cable row can be a great option for balancing out your workout, making sure you focus on your back, and helping out your posture.
Standing Cable Row: 5 Pro Tips
Standing Cable Row Pro Tip #1: Which Cable Attachment?
One of the first decisions to make when you set out to perform a standing cable row is which grip you should use. With so many grips available to use at a cable machine, it can be overwhelming, so here’s a quick rundown of your options.
Double-D Handle: This is the most common type of handle used in a standing cable row, and it’s the attachment shown in the pictures here.
I chose this option because the narrower grip provides optimal lat activation during the exercise, which is what I wanted specifically for my personal goals. I also like the stability it provides.
Rope Handle: The rope handle is another great option and is different from a Double D-Handle. This attachment allows you to get your wrists and forearms involved a bit more during the exercise.
In fact, if you end up going with the rope handle, you can use this technique: bend your wrists back slightly during the pulling motion of the row to help you still lead the motion with your back and elbows.
Lat Bar: And finally, if you want a wider grip, which will target your upper back muscles a bit more, you can opt for the lat bar attachment and use a wider grip while still following all the same cues for a regular standing cable row.
Standing Cable Row Pro Tip #2: Cable Height
Similar to the attachment you choose, how high you set the cable will also determine which muscles you activate.
So, if you want to activate your lats a bit more, go for a lower setting on the cable pulley machine.
But for upper back muscles, keep the cable machine a bit higher.
You can fiddle around with the height that feels right to you. Personally, it felt like I could get the best muscle activation when I pulled the weight to my lower chest.
Standing Cable Row Pro Tip #3: Bent Knees, Flat Back
The position you’ll need to take for a standing cable row is very similar to an RDL position:
- Butt down and back
- Knees slightly bent
- Flat back
Keeping your legs bent will help you stabilize your body as you row the weight.
Keeping a flat back is part of what keeps this exercise so lower back-safe. As soon as you start to curve your back, you potentially put yourself in a bad position for a back injury.
At Back Muscle Solutions, we’re pros at helping you fix your back muscles, but ideally, we ALL want to avoid that back pain in the first place. That's why we’re such sticklers for good form in our pro tips.
I found that I naturally didn’t want to bring my butt far back and down enough, so I had an awkward lean. It took some help from a camera tripod for me to get the form just right.
You can try my tripod trick, or better yet, ask a personal trainer at your gym to check your form for you.
Standing Cable Row Pro Tip #4: Draw Your Shoulder Blades Back
Instead of just going for the row, I recommend making sure your shoulder blades are set down and back BEFORE you begin the standing cable row.
Then, continue this form throughout the exercise.
One other cue that was helpful to me was thinking about leading with your elbows–keeping them tucked–and picturing your elbows almost going in to your back pockets.
All of this will ensure that you focus the muscle work on the back where it belongs.
Standing Cable Row Pro Tip #5: Avoid the Shrug
It can be easy to go into a shrug during the standing cable row, but as soon as you do this, you begin to emphasize the traps to the detriment of the other back muscles.
Standing Cable Row Variations
Seated Cable Row vs. Standing Cable Row
So, what’s the deal when it comes to the standing cable row vs the seated cable row?
As I said, NOT one is better than the other. They both just play a different role in your workout journey.
Seated Cable Row Benefits:
When you’re seated–with your feet supported against the foot pads, and your legs braced–you really don’t have much stopping you from pulling ALL that weight with your back.
That’s why the seated cable row is GREAT for pulling MORE WEIGHT.
I recommend this exercise if you're more advanced at the gym and looking to really go heavy.
This cable row variation also ensures that ALL of the focus is on your back because your legs and core aren't taking much heat here.
Standing Cable Row Benefits:
If you try both of these exercises, you’ll find that the standing cable row does take a lot more coordination and balance.
Because of this, you’ll likely only have the ability to pull lighter weight with this move–since your legs and core end up bracing against the weight.
For that reason, I recommend using the standing cable row:
- If you’re new to the gym and focusing on just learning rowing form.
- As an accessory move for RIGHT after you lift heavier weight with a similar move, such as the seated cable row.
One thing I like about the standing cable row is that it really does get your whole body involved–not just the back.
Standing Single Arm Cable Row
For another variation, I also recommend the standing single arm cable row. This standing cable row variation gives you the option of working unilaterally–AKA focusing on just one side at a time.
When you do this, you can really sort out any imbalances between different sides of your back.
I tried this standing cable row variation as well, and I liked it!
Here’s how you do it:
1) Attach a D-handle to a cable machine at a low pulley setting.
2) Bend over at your torso, and support your body by placing your non-working arm on the cable machine.
3) Go into a split stance, bringing the leg on the non-working side forward–allowing your knee to bend. Bring your working side leg just back behind you.
4) Grab the D-handle with your working arm, and row up toward your hip.
5) Switch sides, and that’s a standing single arm cable row.
More Back Strengthening Resources
If you like nerding out about back strength like us, you may appreciate some of our great back resources.
First, check out the QL Claw–the lower back massage device created by our founder, Ben. This back massage device hits all 5 lower back muscles responsible for lower back pain. Plus, you can use it from the convenience of your own home!
Or check out our lower back strengthening program: Back of Steel!
Standing Cable Row FAQs
Are standing cable rows effective?
Standing cable rows are a very effective exercise to strengthen your lats, deltoids, traps, rhomboids, core, and legs.
What is the difference between seated and standing cable row?
The main difference between a seated cable row and a standing cable row is that–because you’re more supported in a seated cable row–you’ll be able to pull more weight than with a standing cable row. Both are great options for back strengthening.
What muscles does standing wide cable row work?
When you go wider with your grip and use a lat bar, you will activate your upper back muscles even more than with a more narrow grip.
What do standing rows hit?
Standing cable rows hit your lats, deltoids, rhomboids, and traps.
What muscles do standing single arm cable row work?
The standing single arm cable row works your lats, traps, rhomboids, and deltoid muscles.
Is single arm cable row better than both arms?
The single arm cable row isn't better: it just provides the opportunity to focus on one side at a time. I recommend using both variations of this exercise at different points throughout your workout journey.
Do standing rows work biceps?
Yes, standing cable rows can even activate your biceps a bit.
Sources:
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0531556516301735
[3] https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/190