The cable floor seated wide grip row is a strength exercise targeting the upper back, performed seated on the floor using a cable machine. It emphasizes scapular retraction and upper back engagement, with secondary activation of the bicep and forearms.
Also Works
BicepsForearms
How to Perform
1
Sit on the floor with your legs extended and your back straight.
2
Attach a cable handle to a low pulley and position the cable machine behind you.
3
Grasp the handle with a wide overhand grip, palms facing down.
4
Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your chest lifted.
5
Pull the handle towards your waist, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
6
Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release the handle back to the starting position.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Sit with your legs extended and brace your core hard since there is no chest pad. Your torso stability is the limiting factor.
•Pull toward your lower chest with your elbows flared wide to emphasize the upper back and rear delts over the lats.
•Focus on retracting your shoulder blades fully at peak contraction before slowly releasing forward.
Common Mistakes
•Excessive forward lean during the eccentric phase because there are no foot plates to brace against, which turns the exercise into a momentum-driven swing.
•Using a narrow grip instead of a wide grip, which shifts the target from upper back to lats and biceps.
•Rounding the upper back and letting the shoulders roll forward at the stretched position.