Exercise of the Week; the Seated Row

The seated row is also an exercise that targets the muscles of the upper back. I like to incorporate two movements (please see my post dated October 10th) for the upper back because these muscles are often neglected and weak in most clients that I see.

Weak upper back muscles not only lead to posture problems, they also lead to neck and shoulder problems. Place the pin in a resistance with which the last three repetitions are difficult to complete, again you may have to experiment to find the appropriate weight for you. Sit on the bench, and place your feet on the foot rest. Lean forward, and grab the attachment. Slide back until your legs are almost fully extended and hold the attachment waist height with your arms fully extended. This is your start position. Lift your chest high, and slowly pull your hands to your naval, while rolling your shoulders back and pinching your shoulder blades together. Then, slowly return to the starting position. Your breathing pattern for this exercise is to exhale when you are pulling in and inhale when you are returning to the starting position.