Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Cable Upper Row: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable upper row is a compound exercise targeting the upper back, performed using a cable machine and a straight bar. It involves pulling the bar towards the upper chest, engaging the upper back, biceps, and shoulders.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the cable upper row
Front view: muscles worked by the cable upper row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable upper row. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable upper row

  1. Step 1: Attach a straight bar to a cable machine at chest height.
  2. Step 2: Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Step 4: Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  5. Step 5: Pull the bar towards your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
  7. Step 7: Slowly release the bar back to the starting position.
  8. Step 8: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable upper row by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Cable Upper Row alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.