Single Arm Cable Row

How to Perform the Single Arm Cable Row

Set a cable pulley to a low or mid-height position and attach a single D-handle.
Stand or sit facing the cable machine and grasp the handle with one hand.
Step back to create tension on the cable with your arm fully extended toward the machine.
Maintain a slight bend in your knees and brace your core with a neutral spine.
Pull the handle toward your hip by driving your elbow back, squeezing the shoulder blade on the working side.
Hold the contraction for a brief moment, then slowly extend your arm back to the starting position under control.
Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other arm.

Rotating the torso excessively to pull the weight

Keep your torso square and stable; a slight rotation is natural but avoid using your body to generate momentum.

Shrugging the shoulder up during the pull

Keep the shoulder down and back, focusing on pulling with the lats and mid-back, not the traps.

Not fully extending the arm on the return

Allow your arm to extend fully to get a complete stretch on the lat before initiating the next rep.

✓Identifies and corrects left-right strength imbalances in the back.
✓Constant cable tension provides superior muscle engagement throughout the range of motion.
✓Allows for greater range of motion than bilateral rowing variations.

●Focus on initiating the pull with the lat and shoulder blade rather than the bicep.
●Use a brief pause at the contracted position to maximize back engagement.
●Train your weaker side first to help correct any existing imbalances.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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