Cable Dual Handle High Row

Sit on a flat bench facing the cable machine and hold one handle from each of the two cables coming down from above. Plant your feet on the floor and sit tall with your arms reaching long, forward and up.

Drive your elbows back and down to pull the handles to the sides of your chest. Letting your elbows travel behind your torso squeezes your lats and the area between your shoulder blades together.

Pause briefly at the end of the pull, then slowly reach your arms back up and forward. Let your arms follow the cable line so your back stretches, but keep your shoulders from being pulled up toward your ears.

You should feel both the downward lat contraction and the shoulder blades squeezing at the end. If only your arms are working, hold the handles lightly and focus on the elbow path.

Unlike the single-rope high row, the separate handles make it easy for each side to pull to a different depth. Leaning far back or shrugging shifts the work from your back to your lower back and neck.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you reach back out. Steady breathing keeps your seated position from wobbling.

The two handles move independently, so find the path where each elbow comes naturally down beside your torso. Pause for 1 second at the end and check that both hands are level to keep the sides balanced.