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Cable High Row

A step-by-step form guide from the Ægir Iron exercise library: how to do the lift, what to watch for, and the muscles it trains.

Equipment

Cable

HOW TO PERFORM

1. Clip a handle to a high pulley and sit facing it with the feet planted, far enough back that the cable runs down to you at about 45 degrees.
2. Take the handle with the arms straight, reaching up toward the pulley, chest tall.
3. Row the handle to the upper chest, driving the elbows down and back past the ribs.
4. Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end, then let the arms reach back up toward the pulley under control.

FORM TIPS

• The line of pull sits between a pulldown and a row, so the elbows travel down and back at once. That angle is what spreads the work over the lats and the upper back.
• Keep the torso still. Leaning back to bring the handle in turns it into a seated row driven by momentum.

TARGET MUSCLES

Primary

• Lats
• Traps

Secondary

• Shoulders
• Biceps
• Forearms

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Related: All exercises · How every exercise is mapped to the muscles it trains