The lying cable upright row wide overhand grip is an upright row performed supine on a bench, pulling a wide-grip bar along the torso from a low pulley beyond the feet. Lying down replaces gravity with the cable line, so the load runs along your body instead of straight down, and the bench removes the back arch and leg drive that creep into a standing row. The wide grip pushes the elbows out, aiming work at the side and rear delts. It runs as ashoulderaccessory.
What Muscles Does the Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip Work?
- Primary: Lateral deltoid (side shoulder), upper trapezius
- Secondary: Posterior deltoid, rhomboids, biceps brachii
- Tertiary: Rotator cuff, forearm flexors (grip), rectus abdominis
How Do You Set Up for the Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip?
Set a pulley at its lowest position and attach a straight bar. Place a flat bench in line with the stack and lie face up with your feet toward the pulley, knees bent, feet flat on the bench or floor. Reach down and grasp the bar overhand, hands a hand's width outside shoulder width. Straighten your arms toward your thighs until the plate lifts, ribs flat.
How Do You Perform the Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip?
- Press your back flat to the bench with the arms straight toward your thighs and the cable taut.
- Row the bar along your body toward your collarbone, leading with the elbows so they travel wide.
- Stop when the bar reaches your upper chest and the elbows sit level with your shoulders, not above them.
- Hold for one count, keeping the wrists in line with the forearms and the shoulders pinned to the bench.
- Straighten the arms slowly, letting the cable draw the bar back down toward your thighs.
- Finish with the arms long and the plate still hovering, back flat, before the next rep.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Elbows to the walls: drive them out sideways rather than up toward the ceiling, so the side delt leads the pull.
- Ribs on the bench: keep the lower back flat and let the shoulders, not the trunk, cover the range.
- Let the wrists relax so the bar hangs from the fingers and the elbows do the pulling.
- Keep the bar brushing close along the torso instead of arcing out over your hips.
- Feel the traps and side delts share the finish, without the neck creeping toward the bar.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Overloading the stack: the bar drags the shoulders off the bench and the row starts with a jerk, so drop a plate until the arms alone move it.
- Pulling the elbows above shoulder height: full abduction with an overhand grip pinches the supraspinatus tendon under the acromion, so stop level with the shoulder.
- Gripping too narrow: the elbows track forward and the pull turns into a triceps and biceps job, so keep the hands outside shoulder width.
- Arching the lower back off the bench: the range gained comes from the spine rather than the shoulders, so press the ribs down.
- Rowing to the throat: the bar climbs past the collarbone and the wrists bend hard, so finish at the upper chest.
What Are the Best Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip Variations?
- Angled cable upright row: standing back from a low pulley keeps the angle but returns the leg drive.
- Barbell upright row: the load hangs straight down, so the sticking point sits at the top.
- Rope lying cable upright row: a rope lets the hands split and the wrists stay neutral.
- Single-arm lying cable upright row: a D-handle in one hand shows which side cuts the range short.
- Wide underhand grip lying cable row: the supinated grip drops the elbows and shifts work to the biceps.
How Do You Progress the Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip?
- Add one plate once every set finishes at the upper chest with the back flat.
- Work 10 to 15 reps and add a rep per session before you move the pin.
- Hold 3 sets while the position is new, then 4 once the last set matches the first.
- Pause two seconds at the chest, or slow the return to a three-count.
How Should You Program the Lying Cable Upright Row Wide Overhand Grip?
Program the lying cable upright row after pressing on a shoulder or push day, once the heavy overhead work is done. Once or twice a week is enough for a movement that loads the cuff. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps with 60 to 90 seconds of rest. Pair it with a face pull so the rear delt and external rotators keep pace with the traps.
