# Machine High Row

A seated two-arm pulldown on a plate-loaded high row machine with independent lever arms. Trains the lats, pulling both handles from overhead down to your upper chest.

- Beginner · Compound
- Equipment: High Row
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/hammer-strength-plate-loaded-high-row-both-arms/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/machine-high-row/

## Muscles worked

- Lats: 9/10
- Teres major: 6/10
- Biceps: 6/10
- Rhomboids: 5/10
- Rear delts: 4/10
- Forearms: 3/10

## How to do the Machine High Row

1. Sit with your thighs secured and feet flat.
2. Grip both handles overhead, arms fully extended.
3. Pull both handles down to your upper chest, elbows driving down.
4. Return them overhead under control until your arms are straight.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Sit in the machine with your thighs secured and your feet flat on the base.
2. Reach up and grip both handles with an overhand grip, arms fully extended overhead.
3. Keep your torso upright and your shoulders level throughout the set.
4. Pull both handles down toward your upper chest by driving your elbows down and out to the sides.
5. Finish with your hands just below your chin without shrugging your shoulders upward.
6. Return the handles under control until your arms are fully extended overhead again.

## Common mistakes

- Shrugging shoulders during the pull
- Stopping short of full overhead reach
- Leaning back to move weight
- Letting one handle lead the other
- Yanking with the arms first

## Form cues

- Drive elbows down
- Pull to upper chest
- Reach fully overhead
- Keep shoulders level
- Don't shrug up

## How much to do

- **Strength** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps · rest 2 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Cable machine**: [Dual Cable Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/dual-cable-lat-pulldown/), [Single Arm Half Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-half-kneeling-cable-lat-pulldown/)
- **No equipment**: [Bench Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/bench-assisted-chin-up/), [Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/outdoor-gym-lat-pulldown/)
- **Suspension trainer**: [Suspension Trainer Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-chin-up/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Band Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-chin-up/), [Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/prone-resistance-band-superman-lat-pulldown/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- **This exercise: Machine High Row — Beginner**
- Harder: [Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/assisted-chin-up/) — Beginner
- Harder: [Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/behind-the-neck-lat-pulldown/) — Intermediate

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Machine High Row work?

Primary: Lats 9/10. Also works: Teres major 6/10, Biceps 6/10, Rhomboids 5/10, Rear delts 4/10.

### Which joints does the Machine High Row load?

Shoulder: low, Elbow: low.

### When should I do the Machine High Row in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 9 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Machine High Row?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, rest 2 min, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Machine High Row?

Cable machine: Dual Cable Lat Pulldown, Single Arm Half Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldown. No equipment: Bench Assisted Chin-Up, Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Chin-Up. Resistance bands: Band Assisted Chin-Up, Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown.

### What is a harder version of the Machine High Row?

Assisted Chin-Up (Beginner), Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown (Intermediate).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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