Cable Upper Row

Setup

1. 01Attach a rope or dual handles to a pulley set at upper chest to head height.
2. 02Grip with a neutral or overhand grip and step back until the stack lifts.
3. 03Stand tall or sit with the torso upright and arms extended toward the pulley.
4. 04Brace the trunk and set the shoulders down.

Execution

1. 01Pull the attachment toward the upper chest and chin line.
2. 02Drive the elbows high and wide, level with the shoulders.
3. 03Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the finish.
4. 04Extend the arms under control back to the start.

Checkpoints

• -Elbows stay at or near shoulder height through the pull.
• -Hands finish near the face without the shoulders shrugging up.
• -Torso stays still; no backward lean to finish reps.
• -Upper back, not the arms, initiates the pull.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the elbows drop, which turns it into a standard row.
• -Shrugging into the neck at the finish.
• -Overloading and jerking the weight with body English.
• -Losing tension by stepping too close to the stack.