High row alternatives

A seated machine row or cable row changes the high pull to a horizontal path. A lat pulldown offers a broader overhead pull with a bar and thigh-pad support.

The original starts its handles above shoulder height and pulls them down and back with the chest on a pad. These alternatives keep general pulling work while changing direction and support; none preserves the exact high-row machine path.

Anatomical illustration of a plate-loaded high row at the overhead reach and pulled position, with the upper back highlighted.
What equipment can you use?

Choose everything you have. Some exercises need two items, such as dumbbells and a flat bench. Choose floor space for options without equipment.

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  • Anatomical illustration of a man performing a seated lever machine row, with the upper and middle back highlighted.

    Different movement

    Machine row

    You need: Seated row machine

    Why it fits
    Offers a seated horizontal machine pull for the back.
    What changes
    Set the handles around lower-chest height and row toward the lower ribs. The more horizontal lever path replaces the high row’s down-and-back pull; use the torso support provided by the linked machine.
    See exercise guide
  • Two frames of an anatomical illustration of a seated cable lat pulldown, seen from behind. On the left the lifter sits on a flat bench facing a weight-stack machine with both arms straight overhead, gripping a wide cambered lat bar overhand at more than shoulder width; the bar hangs from a single cable over the head. On the right the bar has been pulled down in front of the head to shoulder height, elbows driven down and out to the sides, the middle of the bar hidden by the head and shoulders because it passes in front of the body. Shaded in red across both frames: the latissimus dorsi sweeping from the lower back up to the armpit, the teres major and the muscles between the shoulder blades, the whole trapezius from the neck down to mid-back, the rear shoulders and the upper arms. The spinal column strip and the legs are left unshaded.

    Different movement

    Lat pulldown

    You need: Lat pulldown station with bar, seat and thigh pad

    Why it fits
    Offers another compound pull from above shoulder height.
    What changes
    Use the seated bar station with its thigh pad and an overhand grip. Pull toward the upper chest; a more vertical bar path and thigh support replace the high row’s handles and chest pad.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a seated cable row in two frames, side by side. In both, a muscle-anatomy figure sits on a flat bench facing a low pulley on a weight-stack tower, feet braced on the machine's footplate and knees slightly bent, holding a short straight bar with a narrow overhand grip. In the left frame the arms are straight out in front and the shoulders reach forward; in the right frame the bar has been drawn in to the midsection with the elbows back past the ribs and the shoulder blades pulled together. Red highlighting in both frames covers the back of the shoulder and the muscles across the upper and middle back either side of the spine, spreading down the outer back in the finish frame.

    Different movement

    Seated cable row

    You need: Low cable row station with seat, footplate and handle

    Why it fits
    Offers a seated horizontal cable pull for the back.
    What changes
    Brace the feet at the low row station and use the linked close neutral-handle setup. Pull toward the midsection with an upright torso; direction and support differ from the chest-supported high row.
    See exercise guide
See the original exercise guide

How we choose replacements

These are curated alternatives, chosen for the movement and the job the exercise does in a workout. A shared muscle group is not enough. Read what changes before choosing: support, range of motion, balance and resistance can all differ. If your goal is to improve a specific lift, alternatives do not replace practice of that lift.

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