Exercise guide
Lever Seated Row
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Upper arms
The lever seated row is a compound pulling movement that builds back thickness and strength by targeting the lats, traps, and rhomboids with a stable, fixed path of motion. This machine-based variation allows for high muscle isolation and heavy loading by removing the need for core stabilization.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Adjust the seat height so the handles are aligned with your lower chest or upper abdomen.
- Sit firmly with your chest pressed against the support pad and feet flat on the footrests.
- Grasp the handles with a neutral or overhand grip, ensuring your arms are fully extended but shoulders are not pulled out of socket.
How to do it
- Exhale as you pull the handles toward your torso by driving your elbows straight back.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the peak of the movement, holding the contraction for one second.
- Inhale as you slowly return the weight to the starting position, maintaining control and tension in the back muscles.
- Follow a controlled 2-1-2-0 tempo: 2 seconds to pull, 1 second squeeze, and 2 seconds to return.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest glued to the support pad throughout the entire set.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears; keep your shoulder blades down.
- Do not use momentum or jerk your torso back to move the weight.
- Maintain a neutral neck position by looking straight ahead.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'pulling with your elbows' rather than your hands to minimize bicep involvement and maximize lat engagement.
- Imagine trying to touch your elbows together behind your back to achieve full scapular retraction.
Make it harder
- Perform the exercise unilaterally (one arm at a time) to increase core stability requirements and fix muscle imbalances.
- Incorporate a 3-5 second slow eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the lever seated row work?
- The lever seated row primarily targets the lats, rhomboids, and trapezius, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the lever seated row?
- The lever seated row uses leverage machine.
- Is the lever seated row good for beginners?
- Yes. The lever seated row is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
Related exercises
- Band Bent Over Lat PulldownIntermediate · lats, rhomboids, and trapezius
- Band Bent Over One Arm KickbackBeginner · biceps, lats, rhomboids, and trapezius
- Band Fixed Back Underhand PulldownBeginner · lats, rhomboids, and trapezius
- Band One Arm Twisting Seated RowIntermediate · lats, rhomboids, and trapezius