Seated Cable Rows
Sit with your feet braced against the crossbar of a rowing machine and your knees bent slightly. Grasp the handles. Extend your arms and bend forward until you feel your "lats" stretch. You should be seated far enough from the weight stack so you can stretch as described without allowing the weight to touch the ground. From this beginning position, pull the handles back toward your body and into your sternum. Force your back muscles to do most the work as you draw the weight toward you. Stick out your chest. Arch your back. Try to touch your shoulder blades together. Upon completion of the "rep," you should be sitting upright, not leaning backward. Next, while keeping the weight under control, release your muscles slowly as you let the handles go forward again, once more stretching out the "lats." While performing this exercise, keep your head upright and fixed, knees bent slightly, and avoid bending forward too far or leaning back.