# Cable Standing Single Arm Reverse Grip Row - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10652/cable-standing-single-arm-reverse-grip-row/ - Media ID: 10652 - Primary muscle: Back - Body part: Upper Back - Equipment: Cable Machine - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10652/cable-standing-single-arm-reverse-grip-row.mp4 ## Description The Cable Standing Single Arm Reverse Grip Row is a unilateral cable row performed standing, facing the machine, with one hand on a single handle using an overhand, palm-down grip. Because the cable pulls from roughly hip-to-chest height in front of you, the resistance travels along a straight horizontal line toward your lower ribs as you row. The reverse grip angle shifts emphasis slightly toward the lats and rear shoulder compared with a neutral-grip row, while the standing stance adds a balance and trunk-stability demand that seated rows remove. This movement suits lifters who want to even out left-to-right differences in back development, since each side works independently and the stronger arm cannot take over for the weaker one. It is also a practical choice when a seated row station is busy, or when you want a row variation that doubles as light anti-rotation core work. The off-side arm can rest at your side or on your hip, and the offset load forces your obliques and lower back to keep your torso from twisting toward the cable. Muscularly, the pull is driven by the lat on the working side, supported by the rhomboids, middle traps, and posterior deltoid as the shoulder blade retracts near the end of the movement. The biceps and forearms assist and grip the handle throughout. The hinged, slightly flexed stance keeps the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors active as stabilizers from the first rep to the last. Setup matters more here than in a seated row because nothing supports your torso. Set the pulley near waist height, take a stance far enough back that the weight stack cannot rest between reps, and hinge forward slightly with soft knees. Row the handle toward your lower ribs on the same side, keeping your shoulders square to the machine, then let the arm extend fully under control without letting the stack slam down. If your torso starts rotating or your lower back rounds as you pull, the weight is too heavy or your stance is too narrow. ## Instructions 1. Set the pulley of the cable machine to approximately waist height and attach a single handle. 2. Stand facing the machine with your feet about hip-width apart, and grab the handle with one hand using an overhand, palm-down (reverse) grip. 3. Step back until your arm is fully extended and the weight stack is lifted slightly off its rest, so tension stays on the cable. 4. Hinge forward slightly from the hips, soften your knees, and brace your core as if bracing for a light push to the stomach. 5. Pull the handle straight back toward your lower ribs on the same side, keeping your elbow close to your torso and your shoulders square to the machine. 6. At the end of the pull, squeeze your shoulder blade back and down without shrugging your upper trap toward your ear. 7. Slowly extend your arm back toward the machine until it is nearly straight, resisting the cable's pull instead of letting the stack drop. 8. Exhale as you pull the handle in, and inhale as your arm returns to the extended position. 9. Complete all repetitions on one side, then release the handle carefully and switch hands, re-checking your stance and brace before starting the second side. ## Tips & Tricks - If your torso twists toward the cable on each rep, widen your stance and squeeze the glute on your non-working side to lock the hips in place. - A palm-down grip makes it easy to overuse the biceps; think about driving the elbow back past your ribs rather than curling the handle toward your chest. - Standing rows fail most often at the lower back, not the lats — reduce the load if you feel your spine rounding forward as fatigue builds. - Do not let the shoulder blade roll forward at full arm extension; stop just short of a full stretch if you feel it sliding off your ribcage. - Keep a slight forward lean throughout, but avoid turning the exercise into a bent-over row by leaning farther back as the set gets hard. - Because one arm feeds tension to the stack, the cable can yank you forward between reps — keep tension on the handle even at the top of each rep. - If your grip gives out before your back does, use a wrist strap or switch to a handle with a wider, more comfortable cuff rather than shortening the range. - Match reps and load exactly between sides, starting with your weaker arm so both sides get the same work. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Cable Standing Single Arm Reverse Grip Row work? The primary mover is the lat on the working side, with strong support from the rhomboids, middle traps, and posterior deltoid. The biceps assist the pull, and the obliques plus lower back stabilize your torso against the offset load. ### Why use a reverse, palm-down grip instead of a neutral grip for this row? The overhand grip changes the arm's angle of pull and tends to favor the lat and rear shoulder slightly over the mid-back. Rotating grip positions across your row variations helps you stress the back from different angles over time. ### Is the Cable Standing Single Arm Reverse Grip Row suitable for beginners? Yes, but beginners should start light and treat it as a stability exercise as much as a row. Learning to keep the torso square to the machine under load is the main skill, and that only develops with modest weights. ### How far should I lean forward while standing? A slight forward hinge from the hips, roughly 10 to 20 degrees, is enough. Leaning much farther turns it into a different, more lower-back-dominant exercise and makes it harder to keep the pull path horizontal. ### What is the most common mistake with this movement? Rotating the torso toward the working arm to cheat the handle back. If your chest turns away from the machine during the pull, the load is too heavy — drop the weight and keep your shoulders square. ### Can I do this exercise if I don't have a cable machine? A resistance band anchored at waist height is the closest substitute and preserves the single-arm, standing setup. A single dumbbell row works the same side of the back but changes the resistance direction from horizontal to vertical. ### How many sets and reps should I use? Two to four sets of 8 to 15 reps per side works well for most goals. Because the standing position taxes your stabilizers, stay a couple of reps short of failure if your form starts drifting. ### Should I brace my core during the Cable Standing Single Arm Reverse Grip Row? Yes. With no seat or chest pad supporting you, a braced trunk is what stops the cable from rotating your spine. Tighten your midsection before the first rep and keep it engaged through the entire set. ### Is it safe for people with lower back sensitivity? The standing, unsupported hinge makes this harder on the lower back than a seated row, so anyone with back sensitivity should use lighter loads, keep the hinge minimal, and consider a chest-supported row instead. Stop if you feel spinal discomfort rather than muscle fatigue. ### How do I switch sides between sets? Finish all reps on one side, then release the handle and let the stack settle fully before stepping away. Re-clip or re-grip with the other hand, reset your stance and brace, and start the second side with the same rep target.