Looking to work on your back? How about taking the advice of one Hollywood’s bulkiest action stars.
The Iso-Lateral High Row is the opposite to the incline press which gives its user a unique path of motion which is very difficult to recreate using traditional free weights or pulleys to target your back in an efficient manner. Its main purpose is to affect your midback (rhomboids, lats, teres major and minor, infraspinatus, middle and lower trapezius).
How do I use it?
As you can see above, adjust the weights on each side to your preference and adjust the seat to a position where your elbows will come straight back as you pull. Have your chest firmly press against the front pad and reach forward to grab the handles with either a neutral or an overhand grip.
Expand your chest while maintaining an upright position and lift the weights. At this point, bend your elbows to pull the handles directly back, working your lats and back before slowly re-extending your arms. You don’t want to let the weights touch down in between your reps.
The Rock says…
“Blood flow finisher. If your gym has an iso-lateral high row, try coming to the outside and change your grip to high and wide. Control your movement for an insane isolated lat stretch and contraction. Though I’m on my honeymoon, after I put all my girls to bed – I’m hitting the iron and getting after it. No excuses.”
While it will take a little bit of time (read: years) to look like Dwayne Johnson, today is as good a day as any to get started.
Image credit: Instagram/@TheRock
