9 Best High-Row Machine Alternatives

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The high-row machine is a popular piece of equipment manufactured by Hammer Strength. You can find videos of top pro bodybuilders using this machine all over the internet. 

This machine is a plate-loaded iso-lateral machine that allows you to get a more natural feel and movement pattern than on a cable machine. The machine allows you to do the high-row exercise at an angle that would otherwise not be possible with free weights. 

The high pull is a hybrid between a lat pulldown and a seated row, coming from an angle that is approximately midway between the two. The diagonal pulling angle does a much better job of following the fiber direction of the lats, allowing you to effectively extend and contract your last through their full range of motion. 

The obvious problem with this machine is that not every gym has the Hammer Strength high-row machine. Unless you are at a high-end gym, your training facility might not have Hammer Strength gear. 

In this article, we lay out nine alternatives to the Hammer Strength high-row machine. To be honest, none of them are as effective as doing the exercise on an actual Hammer Strength machine. However, each will allow you to work the same muscles through a similar plane of motion and angle of movement. 

High-Row Muscles Worked

The main muscles worked in the high-row are:

1. Latissimus Dorsi

The lats cover around half of the back. The lower two-thirds of the spine, the lower ribs, and the iliac crest of the pelvis are where the lat muscle fibers originate. They then travel diagonally to the head of the humerus in the armpit region.

The purpose of the lats is to move the upper arm down and inward towards the hip.

2. Trapezius

The trapezius, often known as the traps, is a kite-shaped muscle that covers the top half of your mid back. It enables you to shrug your shoulders and bring your shoulder blades together.

3. Rear Deltoids

The rear deltoids help to pull the upper arms down and back. This is a minor muscle group that aids in the external rotation of the humerus. 

4. Biceps

The biceps act as secondary movers on the Hammer Strength high-row. They are the main elbow flexor, which helps bring the handles down to your ribcage.

How To Do High-Row Machine

1. Adjust the seat on the high-row machine so that your hands can barely reach the handles. 
2. Load the appropriate weight on the machine. Sit on the seat with your thighs under the lap restraint.
3. Grab the handles with an overhand grip. Pull your shoulders back, draw your scapulae together and activate your lats.
4. Pull the handles down to your ribcage by driving the elbows down and back.
5. You can row both arms together or one at a time. 
6. Return to the start position under control.
7. Repeat for recommended reps.

Pro Tip:

• Doing the high-row one arm at a time will allow you to better engage and activate your lats. Make sure you bring the handles down as far as possible. 
• Avoid pulling with your biceps.
• Use an underhand grip for better lower back engagement. 

Benefits:

• The cable pullover does a great job of isolating and activating the lats. 
• You can train each side unilaterally. 
• The seated, stable position of the high-row makes it a good choice for rehab training. 

9 Effective High Row Machine Alternatives

Given below are the nine best high-row machine alternatives that should be a part of your exercise arsenal:

1. Standing High Cable Row

The standing high cable row moves your arms through a similar movement angle as the Hammer Strength high row. Using cables keeps constant tension on the working muscles and provides an early phase loaded resistance curve. 

Steps:

1. Set the pulley at its highest setting and attach a rope handle to the cable.
2. Stand about two feet in front of the machine while facing it. 
3. Grab the handle with an overhand grip with both arms extended in front of you.
4. Retract your shoulders as you pull with your elbows to bring the rope down to your upper chest. 
5. Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the bottom.
6. Slowly return to the start position. 
7. Repeat for reps.

Pro Tip:

To keep constant tension on your muscles, make sure you don’t rack the weights at the bottom.

Benefits of the Standing Cable Row:

• Keeps constant tension on your lats.
• Can be done with a resistance band.

2. Kneeling Machine High Row

The kneeling high cable row allows you to work through a similar range of motion and angle as the Hammer Strength high row machine. Using a cable keeps constant tension on the muscles through the motion. By doing the exercise in a kneeling position, you cut out lower body momentum. 

Steps:

1. Select the appropriate weight and attach a rope handle to the cable. Set the pulley at its highest setting.
2. Kneel about two feet in front of the machine while facing it.
3. Grab the handle with an overhand grip with both arms extended in front of you.
4. Retract your shoulders as you pull with your elbows to bring the rope down to your upper chest. 
5. Squeeze the shoulder blades together in the end position. Now slowly return to the start position. 

Pro Tip:

Do not use a weight that will force you to round your back or use your hips to create momentum.

Benefits of the Kneeling Machine High Row:

• Keeps constant tension on your lats.
• Can be done at home using a resistance band.

3. T-Bar Row

The T-Bar row follows a similar movement pattern as the Hammer Strenght high row. It gives you a good lat contraction at the top. Because the bar is fixed to the floor, there is less strain on the lower back than if you were doing a standard barbell row.

Steps:

1. Load an appropriate weight on the bar.
2. Straddle the bar and grab the handles with a neutral grip. 
3. In the start position, your torso should be at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
4. With your back in a neutral, slightly arched position and your entire core tight, pull the bar from a position of full arm extension up to your sternum. 
5. Lower under control to the start position.
6. Repeat for recommended reps.

Pro Tip:

Using 25-pound plates will allow a better range of motion than using 45-pound plates.

Benefits of the T-bar row:

• Awesome lat stretch and contraction.
• Potential to go heavy.

4. Face Pull

The face pull helps target your trapezius muscles, upper lats, and rhomboids. This is also a good exercise to help you achieve and maintain an upright posture. 

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley at your eye level and attach a rope handle.
2. Hold the handle at arm’s length and take a step back so the cable is taut at the starting position. 
3. Draw the elbows back to pull the rope toward your face. Bring your shoulder blades together as you pull back.
4. Reverse the action to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for reps.

Pro Tip:

Don’t overload the weight, or you will be unable to maintain your center of balance.

Benefits of the Face Pull:

• Eliminates momentum.
• Lower back-friendly.

5. Resistance Band High Row

The resistance band high row allows you to simulate the Hammer Strength high row at home. With a resistance band, you can follow the same angle of movement as with the hammer machine and work each side of the back unilaterally. 

Steps:

1. Secure the anchor strap of your resistance band in a door. Now kneel about three free from the door, facing it.
2. Grab the band handles with an overhand grip and position yourself so the band is taut in the start position. Your arms should be fully extended at a 45-degree angle to the floor.
3. Activate your lats and pull your elbows back to bring the band handles to your upper chest.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together in the contracted position and then return to the start position under control. 
5. Repeat for reps.

Pro Tip:

• Use a 10-15 rep range.
• Do not round your back while performing the exercise.

Benefits of the Resistance Band High Row:

• Lets you work your lats unilaterally.
• Works through the same movement angle as the Hammer Strength high row.

6. Lat Pull-In

The lat pull-in is a unilateral variation of the lat pull-down that allows you to move the lats through their entire range of motion from full extension all the way to full contraction. 

Steps:

1. Set the cable pulley at its highest setting. 
2. Place a flat or military bench side next to the pulley machine.
3. Sit on the bench and grasp the pulley handle with your closest hand. Adjust the seat so that your arm is approximately at a 35-degree angle with the pulley.
4. Pull the handles down and in toward your side.
5. Your elbow should touch your hip at the bottom.
6. Reverse the action to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.

Pro Tip:

Try to touch your elbow to your hip on each rep and then feel for a full extension at the top of the movement. 

Benefits of the Lat Pull-In:

• The ideal range of motion and direction of movement.
• Allows you to work each side unilaterally.

7. Seal Row

The seal row does a great job of isolating the lats by removing the lower body from the equation and therefore eliminating any chance of using momentum.

Steps:

1. Place 45-pound plates underneath each side of a flat bench to increase its height (or use a specialized seal row bench). 
2. Position a dumbbell on each side of the bench.
3. Lay on your stomach on the bench and extend your arms so that you can hold the dumbbells with an overhand, pronated grip at shoulder width.
4. Lift your chest, depress your shoulder blades, and press your stomach against the bench.
5. Pull the dumbbells up to the bench. At the top, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and tighten your lats.
6. Lower under control.
7. Repeat for recommended reps.

Pro Tip:

Focus on stretching your lats at the bottom and squeezing them at the top.

Benefits of the Seal Row:

• Eliminates momentum.
• Lower back-friendly.

8. Inverted Row

This bodyweight exercise will help you to target your lats. This is also a stepping-stone exercise for those who cannot perform a bodyweight pull-up.

Steps:

1. Rack a barbell at waist height in a squat rack. 
2. Alternatively, you could hatch the Smith machine barbell on safety pins at waist height. 
3. Lie supine under the bar so it is above your chest.
4. Reach up to grab the bar using a shoulder-width grip. 
5. Your body should be at a 30-degree angle to the floor at the starting position.
6. Pull your body up toward the bar until your chest touches it.
7. Lower and repeat.

Pro Tip:

Do not kip the hips to get your body up to the bar. Hold the top position for a two-count. 

Benefits of the Inverted Row:

• Allows you to progress from body weight to resistance exercises.

9. TRX High Row

The TRX High Row will help build a thick back and develop shoulder stabilizers and lower back muscles. This exercise does a better job of simulating the angle of the Hammer Strength high row than barbell exercises. 

Steps:

1. Secure the TRX band to an overhead anchor point. Stand under the anchor point and grab the TRX handles.
2. In the starting position, your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees at shoulder level. Walk back slightly until you feel tension through the upper back muscles.
3. Keep your core, glutes, and hamstrings tight, and lower your body until your arms are extended. 
4. Pull back to the start position.

Pro Tip:

Keep your chest pulley out throughout the movement. 

Benefits of the TRX  High Row:

• Recruits core stabilizers.
• Follows the angle of pull of the Hammer Strength high row.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Hammer Strength machine?

A Hammer Strength machine is a plate-loaded machine that provides a hybrid between free weights and machines. Every Hammer Strength machine uses iso-lateral technology so that you can work each side of your body at a time. You could also do exercises bilaterally. 

Why is the Hammer Strength high row such a popular exercise?

The Hammer Strength high row allows you to work your back muscles from a unique diagonal angle. This allows you to get an ideal range of motion, extension, and contraction. You can also work the lats either bilaterally or unilaterally on this machine.

Are Hammer Strength machines better than free weights?

Both hammer Strength machines and free weights have their pros and cons.

Hammer Strength machines allow you to work with weight plates through various angles that you cannot do with free weights. They also provide a secure seating position that removes any momentum from the movement.

The main advantage of free weights is that they require more balance and control and, so, recruit stabilizer muscles. You can also move them through various angles without being restricted to a machine’s movement path. 

Wrapping Up

The Hammer Strength high-row machine is a fantastic piece of gym equipment to work the back. If you have access to a Hammer Strength high-row machine, we strongly encourage you to program it into your workouts. 

If you don’t have any Hammer Strength machines at your gym or are working out in your home gym, you can still target your back optimally using our nine high-row alternatives. They won’t be as effective as the actual Hammer Strength high row but will give you a very effective upper back workout.