Back · Cable
Cable Rope Crossover Seated Row
How to do the cable rope crossover 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 low cable station with a rope attached and feet braced. Grasp an end of the rope in each hand and pull toward your torso, crossing your hands past each other as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Control the return until your arms extend and the rope ends separate again.
- 1Feel your lats and mid-back drive your elbows behind you
- 2Pull the rope ends apart and across as you squeeze the back
- 3Sit tall with your chest up through the whole row
Common mistakes
- Do not lean back and use your torso to swing the weight
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or rounding your back
- Do not let the rope pull you forward; stay braced
Muscles worked
The cable rope crossover seated row mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, rear delts, and forearms assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the cable rope crossover 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.