Back · Cable
Cable Front Seated Row
How to do the cable front seated row, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit at a cable row station with feet braced and knees slightly bent. Grasp the handle, sit tall, and pull it toward your abdomen by driving your elbows back. Squeeze your mid-back, then return under control until your arms are extended.
- 1Lats and mid-back doing the work as you pull to your torso
- 2Shoulder blades retracting to start the row
- 3Constant tension as you control the handle back out
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to heave the weight with your torso
- Shrugging the shoulders or rounding the back
- Letting the weight yank you forward at the stretch
Muscles worked
The cable front seated row mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, forearms, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the cable front seated row for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.