Wide Grip Seated Row
Primary Muscle Group: Trapezoid, Rhomboid & Latissimus Dorsi
Secondary Muscle Group: Rear Deltoid
Equipment Needed: Cable Machine and a Wide Grip Bar
The Benefits of Wide Grip Seated Row
If you’re looking to build a more detailed back then, look no further than the seated row! This exercise targets all of the major muscles in your back.muscles in your back. It’s done by pulling a weighted handle on a seated row machine. You can also do it on a seated cable row machine or by pulling a resistance band.
This exercise will tone and strengthen your upper body, which is essential for everyday movements, including pulling. Having a strong upper body also improves posture, protects your shoulders, and reduces your risk of injury.
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The Risks of doing Wide Grip Seated Row
When doing the wide grip seated row avoid ‘hunching over’ and rounding your shoulders. This will put your spine under pressure and could lead to injuries which could potentially set you back from achieving your fitness goals.
How To Do Wide Grip Seated Row
1. Sitting at a low pulley cable station, hold the straight-bar attachment with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Using your legs, push your torso back so you are sitting at a 90 degree angle. Your arms should be fully extended and you supporting the weight.
3. Keeping your chest forward, shoulders down, and back straight, pull the bar toward your waist and hold the position for a second.
4. Slowly and controlled, return the weight to the starting position.
For Perfect Technique
1. Do not lean forward during the exercise.
2. Begin with light weight and additional weight gradually to allow lower back adequate time to get used to the movement.
3. Finish the row by bringing your shoulder blades together.
Variations
Once you have mastered the Wide Grip Seated Row exercise you can try alternative exercises that target similar muscle groups such as;
How To Do Inverted Rows
1. Set a bar around your waist height. Bear in mind that the lower the bar, the more difficult the exercise becomes.
2. Position yourself under the bar lying face up. Lie on the floor underneath the bar.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder width (palms facing AWAY from you).
4. Contract your abs and glutes, and keep your body a completely straight line. Your head, shoulders, hips legs, and feet should all be in a straight line (like you’re doing a plank).
5. Pull yourself up to the bar until your chest touches the bar.
6. Lower yourself back down in a slow and controlled movement.
How To Do Dumbbell Pullover
1. Lie down on a bench (not perpendicular) with you head towards one end, similar to a bench press set up.
2. With a light dumbbell help with both hands, extend the elbows so that the weight is above your chest.
3. Some lifters may lie perpendicular to the bench, often then allowing the hips to drop as the go into shoulder flexion. This is often a counterbalance rather than an effective way to stretch the lats. In this case just stay set up vertically on a bench.
4. With a light load (you should not need more than 20-30lbs to start) above you chest, let the hands and dumbbell move backwards as you feel the stretch in the chest and lats. It’s important to keep the elbows almost-locked out.
5. Reach back as far as you comfortably can, making sure to focus on feeling the stretch of the lats, chest, and triceps.
6. As you come upwards out of the bottom position, stay focused on using the chest and lats to do the movement. Many lifters will lose sight of the true purpose of this exercise and heave loads around, using the shoulders, biceps, and other muscle groups. In doing so, you render this chest and back isolation exercises useless while also adding serious shoulder strain.