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cable seated wide-grip row Strength Standards

Quick Answer cable seated wide-grip row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level cable seated wide-grip row of 111 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 142 lbs (0.79x bodyweight).

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

cable seated wide-grip row demonstration
Competition-Derived

How strong is your cable seated wide-grip 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 0.5x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your cable seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 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

How Does Age Affect cable seated wide-grip row Strength?

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

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

What Do cable seated wide-grip row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the cable seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip row

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the cable seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip row

["Sit on the cable row machine with your feet flat on the footrests and your knees slightly bent.","Grasp the handle with a wide overhand grip, palms facing down.","Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward from the hips.","Pull the handle towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.","Pause for a moment at the peak of the contraction.","Slowly release the handle back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete cable seated wide-grip row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These cable seated wide-grip row Standards Come From?

These cable seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your cable seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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 seated wide-grip 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