Trouble with Seated Cable Rows

i have a really hard time feeling my back working when i do these… any tips to get the most out of them? i use a close grip attachment, i’m 6’4 with really long arms if that makes a difference.

thanks,
amag

Develop more your overall frame and focus on contraction not on movement.

arch the back hard. focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together. fast contraction, slow eccentric.

Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.

Focus on using your back muscles to do the pulling by thinking of your hands as hooks and pulling your elbows back.
But also remember that “feeling it” is not the most important part of an exercise. Put all your effort into getting way stronger on this exercise, as thats where most of the back development will come from.

Focus on leading with your elbows as you pull back

[quote]B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.[/quote]

No offense dude, but aren’t you like 16 and 130lbs?

[quote]seth.ewan wrote:
arch the back hard. [/quote]

no

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.

No offense dude, but aren’t you like 16 and 130lbs?[/quote]

agreed, and if you’re squeezing on that exercise the lats aren’t the focus.

At contraction- your chest should be sticking out and shoulders pulled back and down. I agree with others that a short pause and a slower negative will help hit the muscle harder, I do think it is very easy to cheat with other muscle groups in the cable row so get someone to watch your form.

I don’t know about the rest of you but this works for me…

I tend to loosen my grip a bit but not to much to let the weight stack fall, of course. What this does I find is takes most of the arm(s) out of the exercise making you really pull with your back. I do the same for lat pull downs. However, this method does not work well with heavy weight. Just my opinion and or tip.

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.

No offense dude, but aren’t you like 16 and 130lbs?[/quote]

LOL? Yes and no. I’m 16 5’6 165.

And why is that even a matter? I’m telling the guy what worked for me. I squeeze on the contraction and really focused on that instead of focusing on the weight being pulled.

And to add, use your elbows not your arms.

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:
countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.

No offense dude, but aren’t you like 16 and 130lbs?

agreed, and if you’re squeezing on that exercise the lats aren’t the focus.[/quote]

And what would be the focus if you’re squeezing on the contraction?

[quote]B.L.U. Ninja wrote:

LOL? Yes and no. I’m 16 5’6 165.

And why is that even a matter?

[/quote]

If it has to be explained to you, you’ll never understand.

Fuzz, I think you’re talking about how your first and second digits are more responsible for the control in gripping than the third and fourth, so if you weaken your grip (read: loosen your third and fourth digits), you will be releasing stress from your forearm and probably elbow flexors so the back has to do the work.

[quote]nz6stringaxe wrote:
Fuzz, I think you’re talking about how your first and second digits are more responsible for the control in gripping than the third and fourth, so if you weaken your grip (read: loosen your third and fourth digits), you will be releasing stress from your forearm and probably elbow flexors so the back has to do the work.[/quote]

In short that is what I was getting at. You explained in a little more in depth than what I explained…

[quote]B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
MEYMZ wrote:
countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
Squeeze the shit out of your lats and hold for 2 secs.

No offense dude, but aren’t you like 16 and 130lbs?

agreed, and if you’re squeezing on that exercise the lats aren’t the focus.

And what would be the focus if you’re squeezing on the contraction?
[/quote]

teres, rhomboid, traps…

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:

LOL? Yes and no. I’m 16 5’6 165.

And why is that even a matter?

If it has to be explained to you, you’ll never understand.[/quote]

Hmm, I get that. But could you point out what was wrong with what I suggested?

[quote]B.L.U. Ninja wrote:
countingbeans wrote:
B.L.U. Ninja wrote:

LOL? Yes and no. I’m 16 5’6 165.

And why is that even a matter?

If it has to be explained to you, you’ll never understand.

Hmm, I get that. But could you point out what was wrong with what I suggested?[/quote]

Nice edit

make sure you’re pulling low also

this is a good video to show you where tour target focus should be.