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Cable Low Seated Row strength standards

What is a good Cable Low Seated Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Cable Low Seated Row is about 111 lb (0.62x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 142 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Cable Low Seated Row Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.5. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 27 42 63 87 113
120 32 49 70 96 124
130 37 55 77 104 133
140 42 61 85 112 143
150 47 67 91 120 151
160 51 72 98 128 160
170 56 78 105 135 168
180 61 83 111 142 176
190 65 89 117 149 184
200 70 94 123 156 191
210 74 99 129 163 199
220 78 104 135 169 206
230 83 109 140 175 213
240 87 114 146 181 219
250 91 118 151 187 226
260 95 123 156 193 232
270 99 127 161 199 238
280 103 132 166 204 244
290 107 136 171 210 250
300 110 140 176 215 256
310 114 145 180 220 262

The Cable Low Seated Row standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Cable Low Seated Row Standards by Age

How the Cable Low Seated Row standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 44 66 93 124 159
20 51 75 106 142 182
25 52 77 109 146 186
30 52 77 109 146 186
35 52 77 109 146 186
40 52 77 109 146 186
45 49 73 103 138 177
50 46 69 97 130 166
55 43 64 90 120 153
60 39 58 82 110 140
65 35 52 74 99 127
70 32 47 66 89 114
75 28 42 59 80 102
80 25 38 53 71 91
85 23 34 48 64 82
90 21 30 43 58 73

The Cable Low Seated Row standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Cable Low Seated Row Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 111 lbs (0.62x bodyweight) on the Cable Low Seated Row is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Cable Low Seated Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Cable Low Seated Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

You can perform the Cable Low Seated Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Your Cable Low Seated Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

You have built substantial back development through the Cable Low Seated Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Your Cable Low Seated Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Cable Low Seated Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Low Seated Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Low Seated Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Cable Low Seated Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Cable Low Seated Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Cable Low Seated Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Low Seated Row

Cable Low Seated Row demonstration
Primary Muscles lats
Equipment cable
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Sit on the machine with your feet flat on the footrests and your knees slightly bent.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.","Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.","Pull the handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.","Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the handles back to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Cable Low Seated Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Cable Low Seated Row Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Low Seated Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.5 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Cable Low Seated Row itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Cable Low Seated Row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Cable Low Seated Row after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Low Seated Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.5 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.