Front Row

Brace your chest against the pad, grip the handles, and stabilize your torso with a tall, straight back. Because the chest support removes the need to sway, get ready from the start to pull with your back.

Pull the handles toward you by driving your elbows back. Your elbows should move before your hands, and your chest should stay against the pad so your mid-back and lats contract together.

Squeeze your back at the most pulled-in position, then slowly straighten your arms to return. Control the return so your shoulders don't suddenly round forward, preserving the full range of motion.

Pull by thinking about sending your elbows back with your mid-back. When your elbows move behind your torso and you feel the area around your shoulder blades come together, you're using the right muscles.

Shrugging as you pull or using torso momentum brings fatigue to your neck and lower back first. If you speed through the return, the row becomes only half a rep, so give the return the same importance.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you return. Steady breathing smooths your tempo and makes the pause at the end of the pull more stable.

With a front row, a lighter weight and a fuller movement make it easier to find the mid-back squeeze. Once you find the position where you can feel the work, you can increase the weight.