The seated row is an excellent way to target your back muscles. Strengthening and developing a strong back side is important for muscle balance & posture. So much of what we do daily – computer work, house work, driving, planking 😉  – involve the muscles in our chest & shoulders. Targeting the muscles in the back counterbalance many of those movements. While it’s important to keep planking for core strength, make sure you are strengthening your back side too! 

Here are a few trainer tips to maximize your next set:

• Keep upper body movement to a minimum
• Stay tall through the torso
• Keep shoulder blades back and squeezed
• Think about using all your back muscles and triceps
• If your forearm and biceps muscles burn out before the back muscles then you need to refocus the work to your back muscles

Here are two videos to illustrate the correct and incorrect posture in the a seated row.