Upper back exercise
Iso-Lateral Row (Plate-Loaded)How to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Upper back, Lats
- Also works
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Iso-Lateral Row?
- Set the seat so the handles line up with your mid-chest.
- Sit with your chest on the pad and grip both handles, palms facing in.
- Pull both handles back until your elbows pass your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together for a second.
- Let the handles travel forward slowly to a full stretch.
Cues
- Chest stays on the pad.
- Pull both sides evenly.
- Elbows back, shoulders down.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back off the pad: lighten the load and keep contact.
- One arm leading: move both handles at the same speed.
- Shrugging: set your shoulders down before each rep.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Set the seat so the handles are level with the mid-chest and the arms are fully stretched when the chest is on the pad. Sit with the chest against the angled pad, feet flat on the floor or foot bars, knees about 90°. Both hands on the neutral (vertical) handles, palms facing in, wrists straight. Both arms work together.
The movement
Each handle travels back on the lever's shallow arc and moves out by about 5 cm per side as it comes in (the arms diverge on the pull and converge on the return). Both arms move together and mirror each other. Only the arms and shoulder blades move; the trunk, head and legs stay still.
End position
Handles beside the lower chest, a little wider apart than at the start. Elbows driven back behind the trunk, about 30° out from the sides (front view). Elbow flexion about 120°, upper arm about 40° behind the trunk line. Shoulder blades squeezed together and down. Chest still on the pad. Pause 1 s.
Tempo
Pull 1 s / squeeze 1 s / return 2.5 s, then 0.3 s at the stretch.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handle height at the start | mid-chest | nipple line to lower chest | |
| Hand spacing at the start | 1.0 × shoulder width | 0.9–1.2 × | |
| Elbow flexion at the start | 5° | 0–10° | |
| Elbow out from the side at the end (front view) | 30° | 15–45° | |
| Left/right difference | 0 | under 3 cm |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Iso-Lateral Row is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
