Single Arm Seated Cable Row

The single arm seated cable row is a unilateral pulling exercise performed on a low cable row station, targeting one side of the back at a time. It builds the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and middle trapezius while training each side of the body independently, which helps correct strength imbalances between sides. Because only one arm works at a time, the exercise also demands extra core and oblique stability to resist rotation. It is a common accessory movement for building back thickness and improving pulling strength for exercises like pull-ups and deadlifts.

Muscles Targeted

• Primary: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle trapezius
• Secondary: Posterior deltoids, biceps brachii, brachialis
• Tertiary: Obliques, erector spinae (anti-rotation stabilizers)

Starting Position

Sit at a low cable row station with your feet planted flat against the footplate or floor and knees slightly bent. Grasp a single D-handle attached to the low pulley with one hand using a neutral or overhand grip, arm fully extended toward the pulley. Sit upright with your chest tall and shoulders level, bracing your core and resting your free hand on your thigh or the machine frame for support.

Execution Steps

1. Brace your core and set your shoulder blade by pulling it slightly down and back before initiating the pull
2. Drive your elbow behind your torso, pulling the handle toward your lower ribs while keeping your upper arm close to your body
3. Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine at the end range, holding the fully contracted position briefly
4. Keep your torso still throughout the pull - resist the urge to rotate or lean back to move more weight
5. Extend your arm back out under control, allowing your shoulder blade to protract fully at the stretched position
6. Complete all reps on one side before switching arms and repeating with equal effort

Form Cues

• Keep your torso square to the machine: rotating toward the working arm lets momentum do the work and reduces back engagement
• Lead with the elbow, not the hand: driving the elbow back keeps tension on the lats and rhomboids rather than the biceps
• Avoid using momentum: a controlled tempo on both the pull and return produces more muscle tension than jerking the weight
• Keep your chest up throughout: rounding forward at the start shifts stress into the lower back
• Match effort and range on both sides to avoid reinforcing existing imbalances

Common Mistakes

• Rotating the torso to move the weight: turning toward the working side reduces the load on the back muscles - keep hips and shoulders square to the machine
• Shrugging the shoulder during the pull: improving the shoulder toward the ear shifts tension into the upper trapezius instead of the lats - keep the shoulder pulled down and back
• Using a weight too heavy for one-arm control: excessive load forces the torso to lean and twist - drop the weight and prioritize a full, controlled range
• Pushing off the machine with the free hand: bracing too hard with the support hand substitutes for core stability - use it lightly and let the core do the work
• Not achieving full extension at the stretch: cutting the range short reduces lat engagement - extend the arm fully between reps

Variations

• Underhand-grip single arm cable row: shifts emphasis to the lower lats and biceps
• One-arm dumbbell row: free-weight alternative that adds a greater stabilization demand
• Single arm landmine row: introduces a rotational core component using a barbell landmine setup
• Two-arm seated cable row: bilateral version for greater total loading and less balance demand
• Kneeling single arm cable row: removes leg drive, isolating the back and core further

Tips for Progression

• Add weight in small increments once you can complete all reps on both sides with full range of motion
• Build up to 10-12 controlled reps per side before increasing load
• Slow the eccentric phase to 2-3 seconds to increase time under tension
• Add a brief pause at full contraction to strengthen the mind-muscle connection with the back

Training Notes

Program the single arm seated cable row 1-2 times per week as an accessory pulling movement after primary compound lifts like deadlifts or pull-ups. Standard loading is 8-12 reps per side for 3 sets, resting 60-90 seconds between sets. Because it trains each side independently, it is particularly useful for lifters correcting a strength imbalance between their left and right back.