Close Neutral Grip Cable Row

How to Perform the Close Neutral Grip Cable Row

1. Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the footplate, knees slightly bent. Attach a V-bar or close neutral grip handle to the cable.
2. Reach forward and grasp the handle with both hands in a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Sit upright with your chest up and a slight arch in your lower back.
3. Pull the handle toward your lower chest or upper abdomen by driving your elbows straight back, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Continue pulling until the handle touches your torso and your shoulder blades are fully retracted. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
5. Hold the contraction for one second, then slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position, allowing a slight stretch in the lats.
6. Maintain an upright torso throughout the movement. Avoid rocking back and forth to generate momentum.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Muscles Worked

Benefits

• ✓The neutral grip is the most ergonomic for the wrists and shoulders, allowing for heavier loading with less joint strain.
• ✓Effectively builds thickness in the middle back, lats, and rhomboids for a dense, muscular back.
• ✓Seated position eliminates lower body involvement, allowing you to focus entirely on back contraction.

Pro Tips

• ●Pull the handle toward your belly button rather than your chest to maximize lower lat engagement.
• ●Use a 2-second pause at peak contraction to maximize muscle fiber recruitment in the back.
• ●Allow a slight stretch at the start of each rep by reaching forward, but keep your lower back neutral.

Variations

Recommended Sets & Reps