Cable Thibaudeau Kayak Row

Setup

1. 01Attach a straight bar or rope to a high cable pulley.
2. 02Grip with both hands and step back, facing the stack.
3. 03Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees soft, trunk braced.
4. 04Start with arms extended up toward the pulley.

Execution

1. 01Pull the attachment down and across to one hip, as if paddling a kayak.
2. 02Let the torso rotate slightly toward that side as the elbows drive back.
3. 03Return to the extended start position under control.
4. 04Pull down and across to the opposite hip, alternating sides each rep.

Checkpoints

• -Each stroke finishes beside the hip, not straight down the midline.
• -Rotation is controlled by the obliques, not thrown by momentum.
• -Shoulders stay packed down through the stroke.
• -The rhythm stays even between left and right sides.

Common mistakes

• -Turning it into a straight pulldown with no side-to-side path.
• -Bending the arms early and pulling with the biceps only.
• -Rounding the lower back as the handle crosses the body.
• -Rushing the tempo and losing tension at the top.