Hammer Strength High Row
A plate-loaded machine row pulled from a high anchor, driving the elbows down and back into the upper back.
How to do it
- Load plates on both weight horns and set the seat so the handles sit above your shoulders.
- Sit down, press your chest into the pad and settle your thighs under the pads.
- Reach up and take both handles with an overhand grip.
- Depress your shoulder blades before the weight starts moving.
- Pull the handles down and back until your elbows pass your torso.
- Return to full arm extension under control and repeat.
Key technique cue
Blades down first, then pull down and back, no swinging.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Leaning the torso back to start the pull, which turns a row into a whole body swing.
- ✕ Stopping before the elbows pass the torso, so the mid back never fully contracts.
- ✕ Letting the weight snap back at the end, which skips the eccentric.
- ✕ Loading the two arms unevenly, which reinforces a side-to-side imbalance.
Benefits
- ✓ High pull angle biases the rhomboids, traps and rear delts.
- ✓ Chest and thigh support remove hinge and bracing demands.
- ✓ Independent work arms stop the stronger side compensating.
Progression: from easier to harder
-
Step 1 You are here -
Step 2
About the exercise
The Hammer Strength high row seats you against a pad with the handles above shoulder height, so the pull travels down and back rather than straight in. The main targets are the rhomboids, trapezius and rear deltoids, with the lats and biceps also working, which matches the flared elbow path the fixed overhand handles produce. Independent left and right work arms mean each side moves through its own range without the stronger side compensating. It suits upper back or posture-focused blocks where the pull angle is the point, and athlete programs that need a heavy pull with no spinal loading.
Updated
Similar exercises
A week of training and meals built for you
Workoutify plans workouts around your days, time and equipment — and a menu for your goal and macros.