If your goal is to build a wide, sculpted back, you need to focus on exercises that target the right areas. One of the exercises four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler relied on heavily for developing his lower lats was the wide-grip cable row. The retired bodybuilding legend has often emphasized that building a strong, full back is about targeting the muscles from multiple angles and focusing on the mind-muscle connection. Even today, Cutler maintains an impressive, jacked physique and frequently shares the exercises that helped him achieve it.
Most people at the gym use a closer grip on cable rows, which primarily hits the midback. While that’s useful, a wider grip shifts the focus to the lower lats, helping build the width that makes a back stand out. Along with the lats, wide-grip cable rows also hit the rhomboids and traps. The key with this back exercise is to prioritize control and contraction over simply moving the weight.
Other common mistakes to watch for include rounding your back or shrugging your shoulders, which puts stress on the spine and reduces lat engagement, and using a reduced range of motion, often because the weight is too heavy. Lean slightly back, pull the bar towards your upper stomach, and lead with your elbows while feeling the lower lats engage. Many people struggle with properly engaging their back, so the mind-muscle connection is essential here. Stay focused on the stretch and squeeze with each rep to develop that lower-lat thickness and width.
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How to Do Wide-Grip Cable Rows
- Attach a lat bar to the pulley on a cable machine.
- Sit on the bench or platform with your feet flat against the footrests. Grab the bar with a wide overhand grip outside of shoulder-width, arms fully extended.
- Pull the bar toward your upper stomach area, leading with your elbows and keeping them flared slightly out.
- Return slowly, extending your arms back to the starting position.
Related: Trainer Swears by This Underrated Exercise to Grow the Upper Back
