Differences Between Wide & Close Seated Rows

The seated row has equipment and grip variations. You can perform the seated row on a designated exercise machine, on a low-cable attachment or with an exercise resistance band. Each type of resistance strengthens your back, as do the two grips. The differences between a wide and close grip seated row determine which one you include in your workout routine.

  1. Seated Row

    • The seated row is a back-strengthening exercise. On an exercise machine, sit upright with your feet on the floor and your chest pressed against the chest pad. Extend your arms in front of your body to reach the handles. Pull your hands toward your body to lift the weight resistance and return to the starting position to complete one repetition. On a cable machine, sit with your legs extended in front of your body. Lean forward as you reach for the handles. Sit up and pull your hands toward your body and return to the starting position. The resistance band uses the same body position -- your legs extended in front of your body and the middle of the band against the soles of your feet or attached to a stable base. Place the handles of the band near your ankles, and firmly grip a handle with each hand. Pull your hands toward your sides to perform the row, then return your hands to your ankles to complete one repetition.

    Grip

    • The wide grip on any of the three variations places your hands wider than your shoulders with your palms facing down. When you pull back your hands, keep your elbows high and in line with your shoulders. At the end of the movement, your arms should be horizontal with the floor. The close grip seated row uses your hands at shoulder-distance apart, or slightly closer. Align your palms so they face each other with your thumbs toward the ceiling. When you pull back your hands, keep your elbows low and close to your sides. At the end of the movement, your elbows should extend slightly beyond your back and the tops of your arms should be perpendicular to the floor.

    Muscles Used

    • The seated row strengthens your lats, rhomboids, trapezius, lower back and arms, including your biceps and triceps. The wide grip position uses a greater concentration of your upper back muscles, including the rhomboids and trapezius. The cable seated row in which you lean forward and backward uses two different attachments to change the grip position. The attachment for the close grip row has two vertical handles that position your hands close together with your palms facing each other. The attachment for the wide grip row has two horizontal handles spaced approximately two feet apart. The bar positions your palms facing down to shift the concentration to the upper back muscles.

    Considerations

    • The selection of the wide or close grip seated row depends on your workout goals and where you want the muscle concentration. You can exchange one grip for the other to provide workout variation, reduce overuse injuries and to alleviate back discomfort. If the leaning forward variation aggravates your lower back, remain upright as you perform the row. Consider also your flexibility when deciding between the wide and close grip row. The wide grip requires greater flexibility across your chest in order to keep your elbows in the wide position.