Leaning back to finish
Stay upright and braced against the pad.
Horizontal pull · Plate-loaded machine
Hammer Strength High Row
A plate-loaded row where the handles start high and in front of you and pull down and back, between a row and a pulldown. It trains the lats and upper back. Good for lifters who want a heavy, stable back movement that's easy on the lower back.
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps, Rear Delts, Traps
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The lats pull the arms down and back, while the rhomboids, mid traps, and rear delts squeeze the shoulder blades. The biceps help bend the elbows.
How to set up
- Adjust the seat so you have to reach up slightly to grab the handles.
- Sit with your chest or thighs braced against the pads.
- Grab the handles and let the shoulders stretch up and forward.
- Brace your abs and keep your chest up.
How to do each rep
- Pull the handles down and back toward your upper ribs.
- Drive the elbows down and behind you.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together and pause briefly.
- Return slowly until the arms are fully extended.
Common hammer strength high row mistakes
Pulling with the arms first
Start each rep by pulling the shoulder blades down and back.
Cutting the stretch
Let the arms extend fully so the lats are stretched at the top.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the hammer strength high row at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Add reps before adding 5-10 lb per side. Use single-arm sets if one side lags.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Hammer Strength High Row alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Programs that use it
Questions
High row vs. lat pulldown?
The high row path angles forward, so it blends a row and a pulldown. It hits lats and upper back in one movement with a fixed track.
Can I do the high row one arm at a time?
Yes. Most units have independent arms, so single-arm work helps fix imbalances and improve your mind-muscle connection.