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Cable Kneeling Rear Delt Row (With Rope) (Male)

A kneeling high row with a rope attachment that pulls toward the face and upper chest, isolating the rear delts and upper back while the kneeling position removes leg drive.

ShouldersCableHorizontal pull
GoLightWeight mediacable-kneeling-rear-delt-row-with-rope-male

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Rear deltoids

Secondary

RhomboidsMiddle trapeziusBicepsInfraspinatus

Equipment

Cable

Pattern

Horizontal pull

Setup

  1. 01Set a rope attachment on a pulley at roughly head height when kneeling.
  2. 02Kneel down facing the stack, tall through the hips, far enough back to load the stack with arms extended.
  3. 03Grip the rope ends with thumbs toward you.
  4. 04Brace the trunk and set the shoulders down before the first pull.

Execution

  1. 01Pull the rope toward the face and upper chest, driving the elbows high and wide.
  2. 02Separate the rope ends as they approach the head.
  3. 03Squeeze the rear delts and mid-back at the end position.
  4. 04Return the rope slowly to full arm extension without letting the stack yank you forward.

Checkpoints

  • -Elbows stay at or above shoulder height through the pull.
  • -Hips stay stacked over the knees; no sitting back to heave.
  • -Rope ends finish beside the ears, not at the sternum.
  • -Shoulder blades move; the lower back does not.

Common mistakes

  • -Dropping the elbows and turning it into a lat row.
  • -Rocking the torso backward on every rep.
  • -Gripping so hard the arms dominate and the rear delts barely work.
  • -Letting the cable pull the shoulders into a shrug on the return.

Programming notes

  • -Use 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 reps with light to moderate stacks.
  • -The tall-kneeling base is the point: use it when standing rear delt work keeps turning into body english.
  • -Fits well on both push and pull days as postural balance work.

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