How to do it
- Sit with the feet on the platform, knees soft, and grip the handle.
- Sit tall with the chest up and the arms straight.
- Pull the handle to the belly, driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades.
- Reach forward slowly until the arms are straight and the shoulders stretch, without rounding the lower back.
Common mistakes
- Rocking back and forth to move the weight.
- Rounding the lower back at the stretch.
- Shrugging at the end of the pull.
Breathing and tempo
Breathe in and brace your midsection before each rep, hold it through the hardest part, and breathe out at the top. Lower in about 2-3 seconds, then lift firmly without bouncing.
Make it harder or easier
Harder: More load or a pause at the belly.
Easier: Lighter load and a smaller stretch.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 3 sets of 6-10 reps, stopping 2-3 reps short of failure.
Building muscle: 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, stopping 1-2 reps short of failure.
Safety
- The movement comes from the arms and shoulder blades, not the lower back.
Swaps
Full gym: Barbell row, T-bar row, Chest-supported dumbbell row, Inverted row, Band row