Exercise guide
Cable Seated Row Bent Bar
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Upper arms
This compound pulling movement targets the mid-back, lats, and rear deltoids while the bent bar provides an ergonomic grip that reduces wrist strain. It is highly effective for building back thickness and improving postural stability through scapular retraction.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Sit on the bench facing the cable machine with your feet firmly planted on the footrests and a slight bend in your knees.
- Grasp the bent bar with an overhand grip on the angled outer portions, ensuring your hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Sit tall with a neutral spine, chest lifted, and arms fully extended toward the pulley.
- Depress your shoulders away from your ears to engage your lats before starting the movement.
How to do it
- Exhale as you pull the bar toward your upper abdomen by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Maintain a stationary torso, avoiding any forward or backward swinging as you pull.
- Inhale as you slowly extend your arms back to the starting position with a controlled 2-second tempo.
- Stop the return phase just before the weight stack touches to maintain constant tension on the muscles.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest up and shoulders down throughout the entire set.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears during the pull.
- Ensure your torso remains vertical; do not lean back to use momentum.
- Keep your wrists straight and aligned with your forearms.
- Focus on driving the elbows back rather than pulling with the biceps.
Pro tips
- Imagine trying to touch your elbows together behind your back to maximize scapular retraction.
- Focus on a 'thumbless' grip if you feel your biceps taking over the movement.
- Pause for one second at the peak of the contraction to emphasize the mind-muscle connection with the rhomboids.
Make it harder
- Slow down the eccentric (return) phase to 4 seconds to increase time under tension.
- Perform a 'pause-rep' variation where you hold the bar against your abdomen for 2-3 seconds on every repetition.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable seated row bent bar work?
- The cable seated row bent bar primarily targets the lats and trapezius, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable seated row bent bar?
- The cable seated row bent bar uses cable.
- Is the cable seated row bent bar good for beginners?
- Yes. The cable seated row bent bar is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.