10 Best Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row Alternatives for Home Gyms
If you can't perform the Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row, use exercises that reproduce horizontal pull and scapular retraction. Effective options include wide-grip lat pulldowns, bent-over barbell rows, T-bar rows, chest-supported machine rows, and elevated inverted rows. Cue: pull elbows to your hips and squeeze the scapula at peak contraction to load the lats.
Original Exercise: Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row
How to Perform Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended and your back straight.
- Attach a cable handle to a low pulley and position the cable machine behind you.
- Grasp the handle with a wide overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your chest lifted.
- Pull the handle towards your waist, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release the handle back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row Alternatives
1. Cable Decline Seated Wide-grip Row
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the decline bench facing the cable machine with your feet securely placed on the footrests.
- Grasp the cable attachment with a wide overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the cable towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the peak of the contraction, then slowly release the cable back to the starting position.
2. Cable Seated High Row (v-bar)
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the cable machine with your feet flat on the floor and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the v-bar attachment with an overhand grip, palms facing each other, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward from the hips.
- Pull the v-bar towards your torso by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
- Pause for a moment at the peak of the contraction, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
3. Cable Low Seated Row
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
4. Elevated Cable Rows
91% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Get a platform of some sort (it can be an aerobics or calf raise platform) that is around 4-6 inches in height.
- Place it on the seat of the cable row machine.
- Sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked.
- Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
- With your arms extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs. Your back should be slightly arched and your chest should be sticking out. You should be feeling a nice stretch on your lats as you hold the bar in front of you. This is the starting position of the exercise.
5. Cable Seated Row
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the cable row machine with your feet flat on the footrests and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, keeping your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
- 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.
6. Cable Seated Wide-grip Row
85% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
7. Cable Thibaudeau Kayak Row
83.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a cable handle to a low pulley and sit facing the machine with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the handle with your right hand and extend your arm fully, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
- Lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight and your abs engaged.
- Pull the handle towards your torso by retracting your shoulder blade and bending your elbow, keeping your arm close to your body.
- Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
8. Cable Straight Back Seated Row
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the cable row machine with your feet flat on the footrests and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward from the hips.
- Pull the cable 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.
9. Cable Reverse-grip Straight Back Seated High Row
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the seat facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward from your hips.
- Pull the cable towards your torso by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
- Pause for a moment at the peak of the contraction, then slowly release the cable back to the starting position.
10. Cable Rope Elevated Seated Row
76% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the elevated seat facing the cable machine.
- Grab the cable rope handles with an overhand grip, palms facing each other.
- Keep your back straight and lean slightly back, maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
- Pull the cable towards your body by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
- Pause for a moment at the fully contracted position.
Why You Might Need a Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row Alternative
You might substitute the Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row for pain, equipment limits, or technique faults. Lower-back pain or limited cable setups push you toward chest-supported or vertical-pull options that reduce lumbar shear. Programming goals also matter: use heavy barbell rows for strength, lat pulldowns for hypertrophy volume, and inverted rows for progressive bodyweight work. Technique cue: brace your core and avoid lumbar flexion; emphasize scapular retraction and shoulder extension to target the latissimus dorsi rather than overloading the traps.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on equipment, spine loading, and desired muscle emphasis. If you lack a cable, choose a wide-grip lat pulldown to preserve long-axis lat tension; cue a full shoulder extension and controlled eccentric. If your lower back is the limiter, pick a chest-supported row to isolate lats and reduce lumbar load—keep chest on pad and drive elbows back. For unilateral imbalances, use single-arm dumbbell rows and focus on full elbow extension and hip hinge sequencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row work?
The exercise primarily targets the latissimus dorsi through shoulder extension and adduction, with secondary activation of the teres major, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and middle trapezius for scapular retraction. The biceps and brachialis assist during elbow flexion.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row?
The wide-grip inverted row (feet elevated) is the top bodyweight substitute because it keeps a horizontal pull plane and strong scapular retraction. Cue: keep a rigid plank body and pull your chest to the bar while driving elbows down and back to emphasize the lats.
Can I build muscle without doing Cable Floor Seated Wide-grip Row?
Yes. You can achieve equal or greater hypertrophy with other horizontal and vertical pulls—wide-grip lat pulldowns, bent-over barbell rows, chest-supported rows, and progressive pull-ups. Prioritize progressive overload, full range of motion, and a controlled eccentric to maximize lat activation.
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