# Cable Dual Handle Elbows Out Row - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10990/cable-dual-handle-elbows-out-row/ - Media ID: 10990 - Primary muscle: Shoulders - Body part: Upper Back - Equipment: Cable Handles - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10990/cable-dual-handle-elbows-out-row.mp4 ## Description The Cable Dual Handle Elbows Out Row is a seated cable row variation where you pull two separate handles toward your chest while deliberately flaring your elbows out to the sides, rather than keeping them tucked in. You sit facing a low pulley with your feet braced on the footplate, knees softly bent, and the cable running straight back to your hands. That elbow position changes the whole character of the row: instead of the lats doing most of the work, the emphasis shifts to the rear shoulders, rhomboids, and mid-back, which pull the shoulder blades together at the end of each rep. This version is especially useful for lifters whose pressing volume outweighs their pulling, since it directly targets the muscles that hold the shoulders back and keep posture solid. It also suits anyone who feels standard rows mostly in their arms or lower back, because the high elbow path makes it easier to feel the upper back doing the driving. Powerlifters and desk-bound lifters alike get a lot out of it as a supplementary movement on back or shoulder days. The seated setup matters more than people expect. Sitting tall with a slight forward lean at the stretch and a controlled upright torso through the pull keeps the cable path consistent and stops the movement from turning into a torso yank. Your feet stay planted on the footplates with a gentle bend in the knees, which protects the lower back and stops you from using momentum from the hips to jerk the weight back. Execution is straightforward but demands control. You extend your arms fully toward the pulley to get a stretch across the upper back, then pull the handles back toward your upper abdomen and lower chest while your elbows travel out and slightly up. At the end position your elbows should be roughly level with or just above your hands, shoulder blades squeezed together, chest tall. Pause briefly, then let the handles travel forward under control until your arms are extended and your shoulder blades have protracted again. Compared with a close-grip or V-bar row, this exercise is generally loaded lighter because the rear deltoids and smaller upper-back muscles are the limiting factor rather than the lats. Treat it as a quality-movement, not an ego lift: moderate weight, strict technique, and 8 to 15 repetitions per set work well. Keep your wrists neutral and your shoulders relaxed away from your ears throughout, and stop the set as soon as your torso starts swinging to finish reps. ## Instructions 1. Sit on the bench facing the cable machine and place both feet firmly on the footplates with your knees slightly bent, keeping a small space between your thigh and the edge of the bench. 2. Grip one handle in each hand with a neutral, palms-facing-in grip, letting the cables run straight from the low pulley to your hands. 3. Sit tall with your chest up and shoulders back, arms fully extended toward the pulley so you feel a mild stretch across your upper back. 4. Brace your abdominal muscles and set your torso at a slight backward lean, roughly 10 to 15 degrees past vertical, without arching your lower back. 5. Pull both handles back toward your upper abdomen and lower chest while flaring your elbows out to the sides and slightly up, away from your torso. 6. At the end of the pull, your elbows should point outward at about shoulder height or a little above, with your shoulder blades fully squeezed together. 7. Hold the contracted position for a brief moment, feeling the rear shoulders and mid-back working. 8. Slowly extend your arms forward, letting your shoulder blades spread apart until your arms are straight and the weight stack is lowered under control. 9. Exhale as you pull the handles back, and inhale as you extend your arms forward. 10. Reset your posture between reps if needed, keeping your feet planted and avoiding any forward hunch or torso swing before starting the next pull. ## Tips & Tricks - If your elbows drift down and back toward your sides, the pull turns into a lat exercise; consciously lead with the elbows traveling wide so the rear shoulders and upper back stay involved. - A common mistake is gripping the handles too hard, which shifts tension to the forearms and biceps before the upper back gets a chance to work; hold the handles firmly but relaxed. - Do not let your torso rock backward on each pull. If you need to lean heavily to complete the rep, the weight is too heavy for this elbows-out path. - Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears during the pull takes work away from the mid-back; think of pulling your shoulder blades down and together instead of up. - Keep the pull destination around your upper abdomen or lower chest. Pulling toward your belly with flared elbows reduces the range on the rear delts. - Because the rear shoulders are smaller than the lats, start noticeably lighter than your normal seated cable row and progress only when your form holds for all reps. - Avoid fully locking your knees straight on the footplates; a slight bend keeps your hamstrings from pulling your pelvis into a rounded position at the stretch. - If the cables rub against your thighs or the path feels blocked, adjust your seated distance from the pulley so your extended arms are roughly parallel to the floor. - Control the stretch phase deliberately; letting the handles snap forward under the stack's momentum robs you of the eccentric work on the upper back and can jolt the shoulder joint. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles does the Cable Dual Handle Elbows Out Row target? The main work goes to the rear shoulders, rhomboids, and middle traps, which pull the shoulder blades together. The lats and biceps assist, but the wide elbow path deliberately shifts the emphasis away from them. ### How is the Cable Dual Handle Elbows Out Row different from a standard seated cable row? In a standard row the elbows stay close to your torso and the lats dominate, while this version flares the elbows out and pulls toward the chest, putting the rear shoulders and upper back in the driver's seat. ### Is this exercise suitable for beginners? Yes, as long as the weight is kept light and the elbow flare is learned before adding load. Beginners often benefit from starting with one or two lighter sets at the end of a back day to learn the shoulder-blade squeeze. ### Why should I pull toward my chest instead of my stomach? Pulling to the upper abdomen or lower chest with the elbows out lines the upper arms up with the rear delt fibers and allows a fuller retraction of the shoulder blades. Pulling low with flared elbows shortens that range and wastes the setup. ### My shoulders shrug up during the Cable Dual Handle Elbows Out Row. How do I fix it? Lower the weight and consciously pull your shoulder blades down and back as the elbows travel out. If the shrug persists, your upper traps are compensating, which usually means the load is too heavy for the target muscles. ### Can I substitute this with a rear delt fly or a face pull? Yes. Face pulls and bent-over rear delt flies hit similar muscles, but this row lets you load the upper back a bit heavier and trains the retraction pattern from a supported seated position, which many people find easier to control. ### How far should my knees bend during the setup? Keep a soft bend, roughly matching a comfortable seated reach to the footplates. Straight, locked knees can pull your pelvis into a rounded position at the stretch, while overly bent knees give you nothing to brace against. ### Is it safe for my lower back? For most people, yes, as long as you sit tall and avoid rocking your torso with momentum. If you have an irritated lower back, keeping the brace firm and the torso lean modest will keep the stress on the upper back where it belongs. ### How many sets and reps should I use? Two to four sets of 8 to 15 reps works well as an upper-back accessory. Because the rear shoulders fatigue quickly under strict form, prioritize clean reps over heavy loads. ### Should I use an overhand or neutral grip on the handles? A neutral, palms-facing-in grip on the separate handles keeps the shoulders in a comfortable position and supports the elbows-out path. Rotating to an overhand grip as you pull is acceptable, but the neutral start is easiest on the shoulder joint.