Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment)
Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) turns unbroken cable tension into muscle you built on purpose — a graduate-level take on the pattern.
How to do Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment)
- Attach a rope to a cable machine at waist height.
- Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Grasp the rope with an overhand grip, with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and pull the rope towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Keep your elbows close to your body and continue pulling until your hands reach your chest.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release the rope and extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Common Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) Mistakes
Letting the stack touch down between reps
Stop just short of the stack so tension never resets.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Cutting range to keep the load climbing
Protect the full range first; the load can wait a session.
Easier and Harder Than Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment)
Swap Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) For
Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment)?
Attach a rope to a cable machine at waist height. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) work?
The Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) good for beginners?
Not usually. The Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment) is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier back progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Cable Squat Row (with Rope Attachment)?
Try the Band Underhand Pulldown, Lever Assisted Chin-up or the One Arm Against Wall. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
