Seated Cable Rows with Pause

The back is a big muscle that should not be neglected but trained with different exercises, angles, and even tempos.  Cable Rows concentrate on the back muscles such as the lats, erector spinae (muscles around the spine), and trapezius. In addition, the rear delts, biceps, and forearms are stimulated.

Cable rows help you build thicker muscles in the back. You can perform them standing, in a squating position, or seated. You can do seated cable rows with a v-bar handle, straight bar, or individual handles.

An alternative technique for seated cable rows is to incorporate pausing at each repetition, which are called seated cable rows with pause. You can pause at any point during the movement in the repetition, either at the eccentric, concentric, or even mid-point during the movement.

Pause reps can serve at different levels, helping enhance strength and overall performance. Here are some reasons for incorporating pause reps:

• They maintain the muscle under tension for a longer period, increasing strength through its full range of motion. Many times, you can see people relying on momentum to complete the rep. This bouncing minimizes muscle force production and full range of motion.
• Increasing the time the muscle is under tension leads to hypertrophy (increased  muscle size).
• Pause reps force you to maintain proper form and perform full reps as your movements are more focused.

How to Perform Seated Cable Rows with Pause:

Seat and place your feet firmly in front of you. Extend your arms all the way forward, stretching the back, and grab the handles with the palms facing toward each other. Pull the cables back while bringing your back straight.

Contract your back completely, keeping your elbows close to your body, and tight up the center of your back, bringing the shoulder blades back together. Then slowly straighten the arms back to the starting position and bring the weight down. Concentrate on your back – don’t allow the arms to do all the work.