Cable Row Bar Standing Row
Standing horizontal cable row with a straight bar that builds the lats, mid-back and biceps.
How to do it
- Set the pulley to chest height, attach a straight bar and take a shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Step back until the cable is taut with your arms fully extended, and stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Brace your core and pull the bar to your lower chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the mid-back engage.
- Slowly let the bar return to full arm extension over 2–3 seconds, resisting the pull of the cable.
- Repeat for 10–15 reps, keeping your torso upright and avoiding leaning back.
Key technique cue
Stay upright, row with the elbows close, don't lean back.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Leaning way back to use bodyweight instead of pulling cleanly with the back.
- ✕ Flaring the elbows wide, which loads the rear delts and pulls the focus off the lats.
- ✕ Shrugging the shoulders at the end of the pull, which swaps mid-back work for trap work.
- ✕ Letting the bar snap forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the muscle-building tension lives.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds the lats, mid-back and biceps in a horizontal pulling pattern.
- ✓ Trains the core to stabilize against horizontal load — useful for sport.
- ✓ Reinforces a pulling pattern that balances out heavy pressing.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Cable Row Bar Standing Row
About the exercise
The cable row bar standing row is a horizontal pulling exercise done from a chest-height pulley with a straight bar. Pulling the bar to your lower chest while standing tall, it trains the lats, mid-back and biceps under constant cable tension. The standing position also forces the core and lower body to stabilize against the pull, which makes it a more athletic alternative to the seated row. It fits well into pull days, back hypertrophy blocks and functional strength training. It's especially valuable in athletic training programs, where the standing row pattern carries over to sport. Pair it with face pulls for a complete back and rear-delt session.
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