# Single Arm Machine High Row

A seated one-arm pulldown on a plate-loaded high row machine with independent lever arms and a chest pad. Trains the lats one side at a time while the pad holds your torso still.

- Beginner · Compound
- Equipment: High Row, Weight plates
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/hammer-strength-plate-loaded-high-row-single-arm/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-machine-high-row/

## Muscles worked

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

## How to do the Single Arm Machine High Row

1. Sit with thighs under the pad and chest against the chest pad.
2. Grip both handles overhead, arms fully extended.
3. Pull one handle down to your upper chest, elbow driving down.
4. Return it overhead under control, then switch arms after all reps.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Sit in the machine with your thighs secured under the roller pad and your chest against the pad.
2. Reach up and grip both handles with an overhand grip, arms fully extended overhead.
3. Keep your shoulders level and your chest on the pad throughout the set.
4. Pull one handle down toward your upper chest by driving the elbow down and out to the side.
5. Finish with the hand just below your chin without shrugging the shoulder upward.
6. Return the handle under control until the arm is fully extended overhead again.
7. Keep the other arm extended on its handle, then complete all reps before switching arms.

## Common mistakes

- Shrugging the shoulder at the top
- Stopping short of full overhead reach
- Twisting the torso to finish reps
- Yanking the handle with momentum
- Lifting the chest off the pad

## Form cues

- Drive elbows down
- Pull to upper chest
- Keep chest on pad
- Reach fully overhead
- Keep shoulders level

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 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 · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 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**: [Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/prone-resistance-band-superman-lat-pulldown/), [Resistance Band Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-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.

- Easier: [Machine High Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/machine-high-row/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Single Arm Machine High Row — Beginner**
- Harder: [Band Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-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 Single Arm Machine High Row work?

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

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

Shoulder: low, Elbow: low.

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

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 10 min with rest.

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

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min, 2 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 Single Arm 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: Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown, Resistance Band Lat Pulldown.

### What is an easier version of the Single Arm Machine High Row?

Machine High Row (Beginner).

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

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

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

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