Seated Rowing Machine Single Hand Grip
This is the machine row performed one arm at a time, keeping the free hand on the frame or thigh while one side of the back does all the pulling. It is the row for anyone whose left and right sides have drifted apart in strength or who struggles to feel one lat working. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 3–6 per arm | 2–3 min |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 9–12 per arm | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 3 × 18–27 per arm | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner level, but the anti-twist demand through the trunk makes it feel harder than the two-arm machine row.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Square both shoulders to the pad before the first rep
- Grip one handle and rest the free hand on the frame, not the moving arm
- Pull the elbow back along your ribcage in a straight line
- Keep both hips glued to the seat — no twisting toward the working side
- Finish all reps on the weaker arm first, then match that number on the stronger arm
Breathing: Exhale on each pull, inhale on the controlled return — no breath-holding between sides.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program seated rowing machine single hand grip
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 4 | 6 per arm | 2-0-1-1 | 2–3 min | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 5 per arm | 2-0-1-1 | 2–3 min | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 4 per arm | 2-0-1-1 | 2–3 min | 9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 12 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 10 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 9 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 8–9 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 18 per arm | 2-0-1-0 | 45–60 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 22 per arm | 2-0-1-0 | 45–60 s | 7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 27 per arm | 2-0-1-0 | 45–60 s | 7–8 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 8 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 3 | 10 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 6 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 10 per arm | 3-0-1-1 | 60–90 s | 6–7 |
Tempo = eccentric-pause-concentric-pause, seconds; stretch rows use ease-in/hold/ease-out.
Common questions
Why row with one arm when the machine has two handles?
Two-arm rowing lets a dominant side quietly take over, and most people never notice. Working one arm at a time exposes the gap, forces the weaker lat to carry its own load, and delivers a much clearer mind-muscle connection. It is a standard tool for evening out strength and size differences between sides.
Which arm should I start with on single-arm rows?
Always the weaker or smaller side. It gets your freshest effort, and the number of clean reps it produces becomes the target for the stronger arm — no extra reps on the good side. Over weeks this simple rule steadily closes the strength gap instead of widening it.
How much weight should I use compared to the two-arm version?
Begin around half of your normal two-arm machine row weight, sometimes slightly less. Single-arm pulling adds an anti-rotation demand through the trunk, so the first sessions feel harder than the arithmetic suggests. Progress the load only when every rep finishes without the hips or torso twisting.
Can single-arm machine rows fix a strength imbalance between my sides?
They are one of the best tools for it. Because each arm moves its own handle, your stronger side cannot quietly take over the way it can on a two-arm row. Standard practice: start every set with the weaker arm, then match — not exceed — those reps and that weight with the stronger arm. Over several weeks of that discipline the gap usually narrows. Small side-to-side differences are normal for everyone, so aim for close, not identical.
Should I rotate my torso when rowing with one arm?
Keep your shoulders and hips square to the machine for almost the entire rep. A few degrees of natural movement at the very end of the pull is fine, but actively twisting to yank the handle back turns the row into a momentum exercise and takes tension off the lats. Brace your abs as if someone were about to nudge your free shoulder. If you cannot stop the twist, the stack is telling you it is too heavy.
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