Exercise guide · evidence-graded

Cable Single-Arm Row

The single-arm cable row is a one-arm horizontal pull on a cable, done standing or seated. It works the lats, mid-back and rear shoulder of the pulling side, while your trunk works to resist the one-sided pull twisting you.

Also called: Single Arm Cable Row, One Arm Cable Row, Single-Arm Seated Cable Row, Unilateral Cable Row · Equipment: cable · Pattern: pull

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How to do it

Step by step

Attach a single handle to a cable at about waist height, or to the low pulley of a seated row station.
Stand in a split stance facing the machine with the foot opposite your working arm forward and knees soft, or sit with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent.
Take the handle in one hand with the cable under tension. Let your arm reach forward until your shoulder blade slides forward and you feel a stretch across your back, keeping your chest facing the machine.
Brace your trunk and square your hips and shoulders. Keep them square for the whole set.
Pull the handle towards the side of your waist, leading with your elbow and keeping it close to your body.
Squeeze your shoulder blade back at the finish, then let the handle travel forward under control until your arm is straight and the stretch returns.
Complete all reps on one side, then swap hands, and your stance if standing, and repeat on the other arm.

Coaching cues

Hips and shoulders square to the machine
Reach long, then lead with your elbow
Pull the handle to the side of your waist
Squeeze your shoulder blade back at the finish
Brace hard, let nothing twist

In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.

Muscles worked

What it trains

Muscle	Role	Evidence
Latissimus dorsi	Prime mover	B
Trapezius: middle	Prime mover	C
Rhomboids	Secondary	C
Posterior deltoid	Secondary	C
Biceps brachii	Secondary	C
Brachialis	Secondary	C
Obliques (internal/external)	Stabiliser	B
Quadratus lumborum	Stabiliser	B
Erector spinae	Stabiliser	C

Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.

Common faults

What goes wrong, and the fix

Twisting to finish the pull

Fix: Keep your hips and shoulders square and finish the pull with the shoulder blade.

Short reach at the front

Fix: Let your arm travel forward until your shoulder blade slides forward on every rep.

Yanking with the hand

Fix: Lead with your elbow and pull smoothly to the side of your waist.

Elbow flaring wide

Fix: Keep your elbow close to your side as you pull.

Leaning back to move the weight

Fix: Stay tall with your trunk braced and move only the working arm.

Letting the handle snap forward

Fix: Let the handle travel forward under control until your arm is straight.

Programming

What the research says

Muscle growth · first choiceRehab & prehab · first choiceGeneral fitness · first choiceSport performance · first choiceStrengthEnduranceFat loss & conditioning

Load and effort — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, and true failure adds only a small extra benefit. Rep-in-reserve estimates are usable but tend to under-count.
Rep ranges — Many lifters use the single-arm cable row for moderate reps, often 8–15 per arm, as a back accessory.
Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Around 10 or more hard sets a week has been associated with more growth than fewer than 5, counted across all back work.
Rest — In trained lifters, rests of about 3 minutes between sets have produced greater strength and size gains than 1-minute rests. With one arm at a time, the other arm's set is often part of that rest.
One side at a time — Studies find training tends to carry over best to movements done the same way, one side or two. That research is mostly on the legs, and there is little direct research on one-arm rowing.

Alternatives · VALDA FLEX

Swap it mid-workout

With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.

Log the cable single-arm row in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.

General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.