Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Cable Row Bar Standing Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The main row of the session. Let the shoulder blades travel rather than only bending the arms.
Steps
Set the cable pulley to chest height and attach a straight bar, then grip it overhand at shoulder width.
Step back until the cable has tension at full arm extension and stand with feet hip-width apart.
Brace your core and pull the bar toward your lower chest, keeping the elbows close to your sides.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the mid-back engage.
Slowly let the bar travel back to full arm extension over 2 to 3 seconds, fighting the cable tension.
Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, keeping the torso upright and avoiding any backward lean.
Cues
Stand tall.
Pull to the waist.
Blades finish back.
Common mistakes
Leaning back hard to use bodyweight instead of pulling cleanly with the back.
Letting the elbows flare wide, which loads the rear delts and pulls focus off the lats.
Shrugging the shoulders up at the end of the pull, swapping mid-back work for trap engagement.
Snapping the bar back forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the muscle-building tension lives.
2. Cable Supinating Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
Turning the palms up brings more biceps into the pull and changes where the back feels it.
Steps
Attach two single-handle attachments to a low cable pulley and grip them with palms facing each other.
Step back until the cables have full tension and stand tall with a slight knee bend and braced trunk.
Pull both handles toward your ribs while rotating your wrists so your palms finish facing up at the top.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, feeling the lats and biceps light up.
Pause briefly with the elbows behind your torso, then begin reversing under control.
Rotate the palms back to neutral as your arms straighten, fighting the cable the whole way out.
Cues
Palms turn up.
Elbows brush the ribs.
Slow release.
Common mistakes
Skipping the wrist rotation and rowing with a fixed grip, which loses the extra biceps and lat finish.
Leaning back to use bodyweight instead of pulling cleanly with the back muscles.
Letting the elbows drift wide so the rear delts take over and the lats stop working.
Snapping back to the start position and skipping the slow return where most growth tension lives.
3. Cable Single Arm Neutral Grip Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 40s rest 路 both sides
One arm at a time shows which side is stronger. Keep the torso still through the pull.
Steps
Set the cable pulley to chest height and attach a single neutral-grip handle, then grip it with one hand.
Step back until the cable has tension at full arm extension and stand in a staggered stance.
Brace your core and place your non-working hand on your hip or a stable surface for support.
Pull the handle toward your lower ribs, keeping the elbow close to your side and leading with the elbow.
Squeeze your shoulder blade back and down at the end of the pull, feeling the lat engage.
Slowly let the handle travel back to full arm extension over 2 to 3 seconds, then repeat for 10 to 15 reps per side.
Cues
Hips stay square.
Reach then pull.
No twisting.
Common mistakes
Rotating the torso to throw the elbow back, which steals load from the lat.
Letting the elbow flare wide, which loads the rear delt instead of the lat.
Shrugging the shoulder up at the end of the pull, swapping lat work for trap engagement.
Snapping the handle back forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the growth lives.
4. Cable Single Arm Underhand Grip Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 40s rest 路 both sides
The underhand grip pulls lower on the back. Keep the elbow close to the body.
Steps
Set the cable pulley to chest height and attach a single handle, then grip it underhand with one hand.
Step back until the cable has tension at full arm extension and stand in a staggered stance.
Brace your core and place your non-working hand on your hip or a stable surface for support.
Pull the handle toward your lower ribs with the elbow tucked tight to your side, palm facing up.
Squeeze the lat hard at the end of the pull, keeping the chest tall and the shoulder packed down.
Slowly let the handle travel back to full arm extension over 2 to 3 seconds, then repeat for 10 to 15 reps per side.
Cues
Palm faces up.
Elbow stays low.
Squeeze at the end.
Common mistakes
Rotating the torso to throw the elbow back, stealing load from the lat.
Letting the elbow flare out wide, which kills the lower-lat focus the underhand grip is meant to create.
Curling the handle toward the shoulder instead of rowing toward the ribs, turning the lift into a biceps curl.
Snapping the handle back forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the growth lives.
5. Cable Rope Face Pulls
3 sets 路 12 reps 路 40s rest
Finishes with the upper back and rear shoulders, the part desk work tends to skip.
Steps
Set the cable to slightly above eye level and attach a rope handle at the end of the cable.
Grip the rope with palms facing inward and step back until the cable has tension in the start position.
Plant your feet shoulder-width apart and brace your core, leaning back only slightly to balance the load.
Pull the rope toward your face, leading with the elbows and keeping them high and wide.
Squeeze the rear shoulders and upper back hard at the end of the pull, ears between the rope ends.
Return slowly to the start over 2 to 3 seconds, keeping the elbows up the entire way back.
Cues
Elbows stay high.
Pull to the face.
Open the chest.
Common mistakes
Dropping the elbows low so the lift becomes a row, which loses the rear-delt isolation.
Going too heavy, forcing the body to lean and yank instead of pulling cleanly with the upper back.
Cutting the range short and never bringing the rope to the face, which limits the muscle stretch.
Letting the rope rip back forward and skipping the slow return, where most of the rear-delt work happens.