Lever Reverse Grip High Row
Lever Reverse Grip High Row Exercise Description
The Lever Reverse Grip High Row (plate loaded) trains the back with a controlled, downward-and-back pulling path using a leverage machine. With a supinated (palms-up) grip, you’ll perform shoulder extension/adduction while retracting and depressing the scapulae. Primary muscles include the latissimus dorsi, teres major, middle and lower trapezius, and rhomboids; the posterior deltoid and elbow flexors assist. The reverse grip places the humerus in external rotation, helping the elbows track closer to the torso for a strong, stable pull. This machine setup provides a fixed path that supports consistent technique, allowing focused tension on the back while you maintain a neutral spine and minimize torso movement.
- Muscle Groups: Back, Lats, Traps
- Target Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Teres Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Assisting Muscles: Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid - Posterior
- Stabilizing Muscles: Iliocostalis, Infraspinatus, Multifidus, Teres Minor, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back, Upper Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Leverage Machine
- Exercise Patterns: Pull
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Scapular Depressors, Scapular Retractors, Shoulder Extensors, Shoulder External Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Lats, Lower Lats, Lower Traps, Mid Traps, Upper Back
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Lever Reverse Grip High Row Exercise
‘- Adjust the seat (and chest pad if present) so the handles start slightly above or in front of shoulder level with elbows extended but not locked.
– Sit tall with feet flat; maintain a neutral spine and ribcage stacked over the pelvis.
– Grip the handles palms-up with thumbs wrapped; set shoulders “down and back” without arching the low back.
– Keep chest tall (lightly into the pad if provided) and head neutral.
– Initiate by depressing and retracting the shoulder blades, then drive the elbows down and back toward the ribs.
– Keep wrists neutral and forearms roughly vertical; avoid shrugging or flaring the elbows high.
– Pull until upper arms align with the torso without jutting the chin or hyperextending the lumbar spine.
– Pause briefly while keeping scapulae retracted and ribs controlled.
– Return slowly: allow the arms to straighten and the shoulder blades to protract/upwardly rotate with control.
– Move smoothly through the full, comfortable range; keep both sides pulling evenly and avoid using momentum.
Lever Reverse Grip High Row Tips
‘- Adjust the seat (and chest pad) so the handles start slightly above or in front of shoulder level with elbows extended but not locked.
– Sit tall with feet flat, keeping a neutral spine and ribcage stacked over the pelvis.
– Grip the handles palms-up with thumbs wrapped, then set the shoulders “down and back” without arching the low back.
– Keep your chest tall (lightly into the pad if provided) and your head in a neutral position.
– Initiate each rep by depressing and retracting the shoulder blades before driving the elbows.
– Drive the elbows down and back toward the ribs, keeping them close to the torso for a strong, stable pull.
– Maintain neutral wrists with forearms roughly vertical, avoiding shrugging or letting the elbows flare high.
– Pull only until the upper arms align with the torso, avoiding jutting the chin or hyperextending the lumbar spine.
– Pause briefly in the contracted position while keeping the scapulae retracted and the ribs controlled.
– Return slowly, allowing the arms to straighten and the shoulder blades to protract/upwardly rotate with control, moving smoothly through a full, comfortable range without using momentum.
Lever Reverse Grip High Row Beginner Introduction
The Lever Reverse Grip High Row (plate loaded) is a machine-based pulling exercise centered on building the muscles of the back. Using a palms-up, underhand hold on the handles, the arms travel down and behind the body while the shoulders draw back, placing strong emphasis on the lats, mid-back, traps, rear shoulders, and biceps. Because the path of the handles is guided by the lever design, the motion follows a consistent arc that encourages steady, repeatable technique from rep to rep.
During this row, the arms move while the upper body stays relatively steady, promoting back strength without a lot of extra body swing. The reverse grip positions the upper arms so they move nearer to the sides of the torso, which can create a solid, stable feeling through the pull. With the chest supported when a pad is present and the spine held in its natural curve, tension centers on the back rather than on excessive torso motion, making this a focused option for developing upper and mid-back pulling power.