Back · Bodyweight
Seated Boat Row with a Towel on a Padded Stool
How to do the seated boat row with a towel on a padded stool, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on a padded stool holding a towel taut between both hands, arms extended forward at chest height as if gripping oars. Pull the towel back toward your ribs in a rowing motion, driving your elbows behind you and squeezing your back, then extend forward under tension.
- 1Lats and mid-back pulling the towel toward your ribs
- 2Elbows driving straight back, close to your sides
- 3Shoulder blades squeezing together at the end of the pull
Common mistakes
- Letting the towel go slack on the way out
- Rounding the lower back as you reach forward
- Shrugging instead of rowing with the back
Muscles worked
The seated boat row with a towel on a padded stool mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, rear delts, forearms, and lower traps assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the seated boat row with a towel on a padded stool 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.