Back · Bodyweight
Seated Row with Towel
How to do the seated row with towel, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on the floor with legs extended and loop a towel around your feet, holding an end in each hand. Pull the towel toward your abdomen while pressing your feet against it for resistance, keeping your back straight, then return slowly.
- 1Feel your lats and mid-back pull the towel toward your torso
- 2Sit tall and retract your shoulder blades to start the row
- 3Match foot pressure to arm pull for steady tension
Common mistakes
- Don't lean back or use momentum
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or rounding your back
- Don't let the towel slip; keep a firm grip
Muscles worked
The seated row with towel mainly works the lats and mid traps, with the biceps, forearms, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the seated row with towel 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.