High Row

Press your chest firmly into the pad and grip the handles, then pull your shoulders down and set them. Relax your neck and make full use of the chest support so you can focus on your upper back and rear shoulders.

Pull the handles by driving your elbows up and back. Think about your elbows rising behind you rather than pulling with your hands; your upper back and rear shoulders will contract together, with less strain in your neck.

At the most contracted position, briefly squeeze your upper back, then slowly straighten your arms to return to the start. Keep the feeling of your upper back spreading as you return, and the movement will feel much more stable.

Pull as if your upper back and rear shoulders are sending your elbows backward. You are using the right muscles when your elbows travel higher than your hands and you feel the area around your shoulder blades tighten.

If you yank with your arms or jut your neck forward, your traps and neck will fatigue before your upper back. If your elbow height changes from rep to rep, the point where you feel the effort will shift too, so set a consistent elbow height first.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you return. Matching your breathing to the movement helps you hold the pause steadily without building excessive tension in your upper back.

Even with the same weight, a small change in elbow height or where you pull the handles can change the feel dramatically. Once you find the height where your back contracts best, make keeping it consistent on every rep your first priority.