Skip to content

Seated Cable Row Strength Standards

Quick Answer Seated Cable Row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Seated Cable Row of 196 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 256 lbs (1.42x bodyweight).

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

Seated Cable Row demonstration
Competition-Verified

How strong is your Seated Cable Row? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Biceps, Forearms, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboids, Trapezius
Equipment Cable Machine
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Seated Cable Row?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your FVCP with friends
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You Seated Cable 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 52 83 123 171 224
120 59 92 135 185 240
130 67 102 146 198 255
140 74 111 157 211 269
150 82 120 167 223 283
160 89 128 177 234 296
170 96 136 187 245 309
180 102 144 196 256 321
190 109 152 205 267 332
200 115 160 214 277 343
210 122 167 223 286 354
220 128 175 231 296 365
230 134 182 239 305 375
240 140 188 247 314 385
250 146 195 255 322 394
260 151 202 262 331 404
270 157 208 270 339 413
280 162 214 277 347 422
290 168 221 284 355 430
300 173 227 291 363 439
310 178 233 297 370 447

How Does Age Affect Seated Cable Row Strength?

How Seated Cable Row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 76 114 161 216 277
20 87 130 184 247 317
25 89 133 189 254 325
30 89 133 189 254 325
35 89 133 189 254 325
40 89 133 189 254 325
45 85 127 179 241 308
50 80 119 168 226 289
55 74 110 156 209 268
60 67 100 142 191 244
65 61 91 128 172 221
70 55 81 115 155 198
75 49 73 103 138 177
80 44 65 92 124 158
85 39 58 82 111 142
90 35 53 74 100 128

What Do Seated Cable Row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable Row

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable Row

  1. Sit on the cable row machine with your feet securely placed on the foot platform and knees slightly bent.
  2. Grab the cable handle with both hands, keeping your arms fully extended and back straight.
  3. Engage your core and pull the handle towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, ensuring your elbows are close to your body.
  5. Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  7. Inhale as you extend your arms and exhale as you pull the handle towards your torso.

Read the complete Seated Cable Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Seated Cable Row

  • Maintain a straight back throughout the exercise to avoid strain.
  • Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  • Avoid using momentum; the movement should be controlled.

Where Do These Seated Cable Row Standards Come From?

These Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable Row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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" Seated Cable 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 Seated Cable 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.

Related Exercise Standards

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