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Lever Seated Row
A plate-loaded or selectorized seated machine row that trains the mid back through a fixed path, ideal for controlled heavy rowing without balance demands.
BackMachineHorizontal pull
GoLightWeight medialever-seated-row
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Latissimus dorsiRhomboids
Secondary
Middle trapeziusRear deltoidsBiceps
Equipment
Machine
Pattern
Horizontal pull
Setup
- 01Set the seat so the handles line up with your lower chest.
- 02Adjust the chest pad so arms reach full extension at the start.
- 03Grip the handles neutral or overhand depending on the machine.
- 04Sit tall with feet flat and chest against the pad.
Execution
- 01Pull the handles back by driving the elbows behind the torso.
- 02Squeeze the shoulder blades together as the handles reach the ribs.
- 03Hold the contraction for a beat.
- 04Extend the arms slowly, letting the shoulder blades glide forward at the end.
Checkpoints
- -Torso stays against the pad; no rocking backward.
- -Shoulder blades move through a full protract-retract cycle.
- -Elbow height stays consistent rep to rep.
- -Stack or plates never rest between reps.
Common mistakes
- -Leaning back to finish reps instead of pulling with the back.
- -Half-repping by never reaching full arm extension.
- -Gripping so hard the forearms fail before the back.
- -Setting the seat too low so the pull turns into a shrug.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps as a primary machine row.
- -For hypertrophy, add a 2 second squeeze at peak contraction on lighter sets.
- -Alternate elbow-tucked and elbow-flared handle options across training blocks to shift lat versus upper back emphasis.
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