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cable rope seated row Strength Standards

Quick Answer cable rope seated row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level cable rope seated row of 106 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 136 lbs (0.76x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

cable rope seated row demonstration
Competition-Derived

How strong is your cable rope seated row? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles upper-back
Equipment cable
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - Estimated from bench-press standards using a 0.48x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your cable rope seated row?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You cable rope seated row?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 25 40 60 83 108
120 30 47 67 92 119
130 35 52 74 100 128
140 40 58 81 108 137
150 45 64 87 115 145
160 49 69 94 122 153
170 54 74 100 130 161
180 58 80 106 136 169
190 62 85 112 143 176
200 67 90 118 150 183
210 71 95 123 156 191
220 75 99 129 162 197
230 79 104 134 168 204
240 83 109 140 174 210
250 87 113 144 180 216
260 91 118 150 185 223
270 95 122 155 191 228
280 98 126 159 196 234
290 102 131 164 201 240
300 106 134 168 206 245
310 109 139 173 211 251

How Does Age Affect cable rope seated row Strength?

How cable rope seated row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 42 63 89 119 152
20 48 72 101 136 174
25 49 74 104 140 179
30 49 74 104 140 179
35 49 74 104 140 179
40 49 74 104 140 179
45 47 70 99 132 169
50 44 66 93 124 159
55 41 61 86 115 147
60 37 55 78 105 134
65 34 50 71 95 121
70 30 45 63 85 109
75 27 40 57 76 97
80 24 36 51 68 87
85 22 32 46 61 78
90 20 29 41 55 70

What Do cable rope seated row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the cable rope seated row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the cable rope seated row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your cable rope 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the cable rope 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your cable rope 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 rope seated row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your cable rope seated row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the cable rope 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 your E1RM progress →
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 rope 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 rope 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 rope 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 rope seated row

["Sit on the rowing machine with your feet flat on the footrests and knees slightly bent.","Grasp the cable ropes with an overhand grip, palms facing each other.","Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.","Pull the cable ropes towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.","Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete cable rope seated row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These cable rope seated row Standards Come From?

These cable rope seated row standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your cable rope seated row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your cable rope seated row performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can cable rope seated row 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" cable rope seated row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the cable rope seated row within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

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Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE