Squat Row (Machine)

Instructions

1. Load the machine with an appropriate weight and adjust any seat or foot platform settings to your height.
2. Stand (or sit, depending on machine design) facing the handles with your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
3. Grasp both handles with a neutral or overhand grip. Keep your chest tall and core braced.
4. Initiate the movement by hinging at the hips and bending your knees into a squat while simultaneously allowing your arms to extend forward with the resistance.
5. At the bottom of the squat, drive through your heels to stand back up while simultaneously rowing the handles toward your torso, pulling your elbows back past your sides.
6. Squeeze your back and legs at the top of the movement, then return slowly to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Coordinate the squat drive with the row pull so both movements finish at the same time — think “push the floor away as you pull the handles in.”
• Keep your torso upright throughout; avoid rounding the lower back at the bottom of the squat.
• Retract your shoulder blades at the top of the row to maximize lat and mid-back engagement.
• Use a controlled eccentric (lowering) phase — don’t let the weight stack yank your arms forward.
• Because quadriceps and lats are the primary movers, this exercise is an efficient full-body conditioning option when time is limited.
• Start lighter than you think you need; the combined demand of the squat and row will challenge your coordination before it challenges your strength.