- EquipmentMachine
- PatternPull
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Adjust the seat so you reach the handles above and in front of you with straight arms. Sit tall with your chest against the pad if there is one.
First cueDrive with the elbows.
How to do the Machine High Row
Set up. Adjust the seat so you reach the handles above and in front of you with straight arms. Sit tall with your chest against the pad if there is one.
- Pull the handles down and back toward your sides.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together.
- Return under control to straight arms.
Form cues
- Drive with the elbows.
- Keep the shoulders away from the ears.
- Keep the torso still.
Common mistakes
- Jerking the handles with the body.
- Shortening the range at the top.
Muscles worked
Main target: Lats. The latissimus dorsi is the widest muscle of the back, running from the lower spine and pelvis up under the arm to the upper arm bone. It pulls the arm down and back: pull-ups, pulldowns and the start of a deadlift.
On the way: Upper back, Biceps and Rear delts.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Side delts and Triceps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Machine High Row, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Cable Upright Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Power Clean Same pull session: it trains the traps.
- Wrist Curl Same pull session: it trains the forearms.
- Face Pull Often left out: it trains the rear delts, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Machine High Row first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Machine High Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Cable Upright Row 3 × 10 to 15 reps
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
- Wrist Curl 3 × 12 to 25 reps
- Face Pull 3 × 12 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pull-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Lat Pulldown
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Lat Pulldown.
Other variations of the Lat Pulldown: Neutral-Grip Pulldown, Straight-Arm Pulldown and Single-Arm Lat Pulldown.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Scapular Pull-Up (shoulder blades), Thoracic Rotation (upper back range) and Dead Hang (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Machine High Row is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Machine High Row?
Set up: Adjust the seat so you reach the handles above and in front of you with straight arms. Sit tall with your chest against the pad if there is one. Steps: 1. Pull the handles down and back toward your sides. 2. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together. 3. Return under control to straight arms. Form cues: Drive with the elbows. Keep the shoulders away from the ears. Keep the torso still. Common mistakes: Jerking the handles with the body. Shortening the range at the top.
What muscles does the Machine High Row work?
It trains the lats as its main target and works the upper back, biceps and rear delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Machine High Row?
At home: Pull-Up. In a gym: Lat Pulldown. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Machine High Row with?
Good partners in the same workout are Cable Upright Row, Power Clean, Wrist Curl and Face Pull.
How heavy should the Machine High Row be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.