The Cable Row Bar Standing Row is a beginner-friendly cable strength exercise that targets the lats and middle back, with the biceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesBiceps
EquipmentCable
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Cable Row Bar Standing Row
Set the cable pulley to chest height and attach a straight bar, then grip it overhand at shoulder width.
Step back until the cable has tension at full arm extension and stand with feet hip-width apart.
Brace your core and pull the bar toward your lower chest, keeping the elbows close to your sides.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the mid-back engage.
Slowly let the bar travel back to full arm extension over 2 to 3 seconds, fighting the cable tension.
Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, keeping the torso upright and avoiding any backward lean.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds the lats, mid-back, and biceps in a horizontal pull pattern.
Trains the core to brace against horizontal load — useful for sport.
Reinforces the pull pattern that balances out heavy pressing work.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Leaning back hard to use bodyweight instead of pulling cleanly with the back.
Letting the elbows flare wide, which loads the rear delts and pulls focus off the lats.
Shrugging the shoulders up at the end of the pull, swapping mid-back work for trap engagement.
Snapping the bar back forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the muscle-building tension lives.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Cable Row Bar Standing Row, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
