- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPull
- Reps6 to 12 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Lie face down on a high flat bench with a barbell on the floor or on blocks underneath. Grip it a little wider than your shoulders with straight arms.
First cueKeep your whole body on the bench.
How to do the Seal Row
Set up. Lie face down on a high flat bench with a barbell on the floor or on blocks underneath. Grip it a little wider than your shoulders with straight arms.
- Pull the bar up to the underside of the bench.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Lower under control to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep your whole body on the bench.
- Lead with the elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the chest off the bench.
- Cutting the bottom of the range short.
Muscles worked
Main target: Upper back. The upper back is the muscle between and around the shoulder blades. It pulls the shoulder blades together and back, which is what every row trains and what holds a posture against a long day at a desk.
On the way: Lats, Biceps and Rear delts.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Seal Row, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Barbell Bench Press Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Power Clean Same pull session: it trains the traps.
- Reverse Curl Same pull session: it trains the forearms.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Seal 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.
- Seal Row 3 × 6 to 12 reps
- Barbell Bench Press 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
- Reverse Curl 3 × 10 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
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Chest-Supported Row
Machine
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: Chest-Supported Row.
Other variations of the Chest-Supported Row: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Cat-Cow (bracing) and Chest-Supported Row (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Seal 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 Seal Row?
Set up: Lie face down on a high flat bench with a barbell on the floor or on blocks underneath. Grip it a little wider than your shoulders with straight arms. Steps: 1. Pull the bar up to the underside of the bench. 2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. 3. Lower under control to straight arms. Form cues: Keep your whole body on the bench. Lead with the elbows. Pause briefly at the top. Common mistakes: Lifting the chest off the bench. Cutting the bottom of the range short.
What muscles does the Seal Row work?
It trains the upper back as its main target and works the lats, biceps and rear delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Seal Row?
At home: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row. In a gym: Chest-Supported Row. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Seal Row with?
Good partners in the same workout are Barbell Bench Press, Power Clean and Reverse Curl.
How heavy should the Seal 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.