Seal Row Bench – Where to Buy, Muscles Worked, Benefits and Technique
The Seal Row Bench is a highly useful piece of equipment that allows you to perform the Seal Row.
The Seal Row is a lesser used variation of the barbell row that specifically isolates certain muscles in a highly effective way.
Where to Buy
Click the buttons below to learn more about the piece of equipment of your choice.
The exercise is done by lying on a Seal Row Bench and cutting off the legs and core from assisting the movement. By isolating the work in this way, it makes it easier to focus on and exhaust the trained muscles.
It is also known as the Prone Row.
What are the Benefits of the Seal Row?
Let’s turn to Tony Gentilcore.
“This (the Seal Row) is an excellent exercise that hammers the upper back, specifically the (lower) lats.
The exercise lends itself to taking away “body english” and forces the lifter to place a premium on technique and really “feeling” the lats fire.”
Other benefits of the Seal Row include a greater range of motion and the ability to train at different angle in isolation.
Greater Range of Motion
The range of motion in a seal row is much further than other traditional types of Barbell Rows.
With bent over rows, you are more limited.
As you allow the weight to descend lower, you must focus your abs and stabilise using the core. This movement also involves more bicep, and that makes it easier to cheat.
The Seal Row moves the weight at a 90 degree angle from the body during all phases (push and pull) of the entire range of motion. You can bring the weight much higher to your chest and target your lats in ways that you will never have experienced before.
Train Different Angles
The Seal Row allows you to isolate and train your back muscles in a highly effective way.
If you decide to do rows with the bar higher, in line with your chest, then you focus on your rear shoulders and traps. If you use a narrower grip, it will also help with scapular retraction and building muscular thickness.
If you go lower and grip wider you will target your lats. The wider you have your hands, the more tension you will distribute throughout your lats.
Seal Rows are a great alternative to many back pull exercises because they are so simple and versatile.
What Muscles Does the Seal Row Work?
The Seal Row works the following primary and secondary muscles.
Primary muscles worked:
- Lats
- Trapezius
- Rear Deltoids
Secondary muscles worked:
- Biceps
- Forearm Flexors
- Rotator Cuff
How to do the Seal Row
Once again Tony Gentilecore can help us here.
Key Coaching Cues:
“Be sure you use a set-up that allows you to fully extend (straighten out) your arms. The should be enough room for the shoulder blades to move around the thorax/rib cage.
Squeeze glutes, brace abs. This will help prevent any hyper-extension of the lumbar spine.
Try to keep the neck packed (make a double chin).
Think about pulling your elbows towards the hips. The barbell will more or less be in line with that cute, little, belly button of yours.
Pull barbell all the way up until barbell touches the bench. I you find that that position places you in too much glenohumeral extension (shoulders roll forward), you can add a fat pad to the barbell to help lessen the ROM.
Progression would be to eventually lift the legs off the bench, via the glutes (hip extension).
Perform for sets of 8-10 repetitions.”
What is the Best Seal Row Machine?
The Rogue Seal Row Bench is the best Seal Row Bench available based on quality, craftsmanship, durability, value and functionality.
Rogue Seal Row Bench
The Rogue Seal Row Bench is uniquely optimised for both dumbbell and barbell seal row movements (aka bench pulls), and can be ordered here (LINK) with their own exclusive new Seal Row Bar—a 28.5mm cambered barbell that offers superior range of motion for this back isolating exercise along with convenient rackability within the unit.
The bench itself is made in the USA with US steel from 3×3” and 2×3” 11-gauge steel with an MG Black finish and black hardware.
The uprights are spaced 43” apart (same as their standard power racks) and include 1” holes with 2” spacing.
At a height of 44.5”, the bench pad is slightly higher than some comparable seal row units, but this extra elevation, along with a convenient diamond-tread folding step attachment, allows athletes of any size to comfortably use the product.
All Seal Row Benches ship with a set of Monster 1″ Sandwich J-Cups (MG Black) and a laser-cut, bolt-on ROGUE branding plate with a stainless steel backer.
They also included a UHMW plastic cover on the bottom of the spine to protect both the barbell and bench unit in the event that an athlete reaches full range of motion and hits the bar against the spine.
Because some assembly is required to set up the Seal Row Bench, the following tools will also be needed. These are NOT included with the order:
- 15/16″ Wrench/Socket
- 1-1/2″ Wrench/Socket
- 3/4″ Wrench/Socket
- 7/16″ Wrench/Socket
- 5/32″ Hex Key
Key Features of the Seal Row Machine and Seal Row Bar
Learn more about the features of the Rogue Seal Row Bench and Seal Row Bar.
Optimised for Seal Row Movement
The Seal Row, or Bench Pull, is an increasingly popular back isolation exercise in which the athlete lays their chest flat on a bench (parallel to the floor) with their arms suspended at the sides, and lifts using either dumbbells or a barbell.
The support provided by the bench helps reduce injury risks and reliance on momentum, while the movement itself has proven very effective in activating the lats and smaller back muscles.
Rather than setting up a makeshift seal row station with a standard bench, the Rogue Seal Row Bench allows athletes of any size to comfortably perform both dumbbell and barbell seal rows with a free range of motion and unique barbell rackability.
Optional Seal Row Bar
Available a la carte or as part of a package with the bench (selectable from the order menu), the Rogue Seal Row Bar is ideally suited for the seal row movement due to its cambered design.
Built to the same standards as our Oly and powerlifting bushing bars, this specialized 40 LB barbell features a 28.5mm diameter shaft with a Black E-Coat finish and Bright Zinc sleeves with a loadable length of 13”.
There is a 7″ drop from the centre of the sleeves down to the centre of the cambered portion.
This design gives users a greater range of motion not possible when performing seal rows with a standard bar.
Bench Specifications:
- Made in the USA with US steel
- 3×3″ and 2×3” 11-gauge Steel
- Bench Weight: 270LBs (without bar)
- Foot Print: 53″ x 60″
- Length 60″ (depth) / 47″ (pad)
- Width 53″ (overall) / 12″ (pad)
- Height 44.5″ (to top of pad)
- 1” Holes with 2” spacing
- Diamond-Tread Fold-Up Step Attachment (w/ detent pin)
- Laser-Cut, Bolt-On Rogue Plate
- Set of Monster Sandwich J-Cups
- MG Black finish
- UHMW Protective Plastic
- Assembly Required
Bar Specifications:
- Made in the USA with US steel
- Cambered 28.5mm Bushing Bar
- Weight: 40 LB
- Black E-Coat Shaft
- Bright Zinc Sleeves
- Total Length: 79.5″
- Distance Between Sleeves: 52″
- 13” Loadable Sleeve Length
- 7” drop from center of sleeve to center of camber portion
- Rackable within Seal Row Bench
