Exercises / Horizontal pull
Seated row machine
Horizontal pull Machine Complexity 2/5
Working position
Setup
Sit with the chest against the pad, feet planted.
Execution
Pull the handles toward the ribs, pause, then return under control.
Coaching cues
- Lead with the elbows
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together
- Do not lean back to move the weight
Common fault
Using body sway to move the weight
Fix: Reduce the load and cue a still torso.
Muscles trained
Primary: Latissimus dorsi (lats)Rhomboid major (rhomboids)
Secondary: Trapezius (traps)Biceps brachii (biceps)
Regression and progression
Easier: This is the entry-level variation.
Harder: Inverted row, Single-arm dumbbell row
Rule
Never advance complexity and load in the same week. When the variation gets harder, the load comes down.