Shoulders · Cable
Parallel Bar Cable Rear Delt Row
How to do the parallel bar cable rear delt 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
Attach a parallel-grip bar to a chest-height cable. Grip the bar with palms facing each other, step back, and row it toward your upper chest while flaring your elbows wide to target the rear delts. Squeeze the shoulder blades, then return under control.
- 1Feel your rear delts pull the elbows back and wide
- 2Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of the row
- 3Keep the chest up and torso steady
Common mistakes
- Don't tuck the elbows; keep them high to hit the rear delts
- Avoid yanking with the lower back or leaning back
- Don't shrug the traps up toward your ears
Muscles worked
The parallel bar cable rear delt row mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the biceps, forearms, lats, upper traps, and lower traps assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the parallel bar cable rear delt 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.