Lateral Row Machine (plate loaded)

Sit with your chest on the pad and hold the handles with your palms facing each other. Plant your feet and keep your torso steady.

Drive your elbows back close to your torso and pull the handles toward your waist. Keep your chest supported and think of drawing your upper arms toward your pelvis.

Squeeze your back briefly at the point of greatest contraction, then slowly straighten your arms to return the handles. Stay in control all the way back so your shoulders do not suddenly round forward and you can use the full range of motion.

Focus on using your lats to draw your upper arms toward your torso. Your upper back, rear shoulders, and biceps assist.

If you lean back to overcome the weight or pull only with your arms, your lower back and forearms will fatigue first and your back will not get much tension. If you rush the return, the row can easily become a half rep, so give the lowering phase equal attention.

Exhale as you pull and inhale as you return. Keeping your breathing steady helps maintain your torso alignment and keeps both the pause and the return stable.

Unlike the upper-back variation that pulls toward the sternum, pull low toward your waist. Keep your chest on the pad and repeat the same path.