Shotgun Row
Also works: Biceps · Middle Back
A single-arm cable row from a low pulley, taken in a wide split stance, where the wrist supinates as you pull so the palm finishes facing up. Turning the hand mid-pull adds an inch or two of range at the elbow and lets the torso rotate slightly, making it the most forgiving row for cranky shoulders.
Own the movement
Set up first, then execute. Every cue below is something you can check on your next set.
Before the first rep
- Clip a single handle to the low pulley and take it in one hand with the palm facing in or slightly down.
- Step back into a wide split stance, opposite foot forward, so the cable runs in a straight line to your working shoulder.
- Let the working shoulder travel forward at the start — the stretch begins at the shoulder blade, not the hand.
- Set your free hand on your front thigh for support and brace your abs so the stack cannot twist you.
- Pick a weight you can pull without your front foot sliding; the split stance is your anchor.
Every rep
Breathing & tempo — Exhale as you pull, inhale as the handle returns. One to two seconds pulling, a one-second hold at the ribs, two to three seconds letting the shoulder reach back out.
Sets, reps & load
Where to start, and what to change when it stops being hard.
Start around 15-20 kg per side and expect roughly half to two-thirds of what you use for a two-handed seated row. The right load is one that lets you pause a second at the finish on the last rep without your front foot moving. Add weight when both arms hit the top of the range with matched reps.
What goes wrong
The errors that show up most often, and the cue that fixes each one.
Widen the split stance, plant the front foot, and brace as if someone were about to shove your working shoulder. Let a small amount of rotation happen; a set that looks like a golf swing is too heavy.
Start each rep by sliding the shoulder blade back an inch before the elbow bends. Pause for a second in the finish position to prove the back, not the arm, is holding the handle there.
Keep the elbow brushing your ribs on the way through. If it drifts out, the cable is set too high or you are pulling toward your chest instead of your hip.
Lead with the weaker side and match its number exactly. Unilateral work is only worth the extra time if you use it to close the gap.
Why bother
Rowing one arm at a time lets the working side travel further. Your shoulder can reach forward at the start and pull further back at the finish than a two-handed bar allows, and the stronger side cannot quietly do extra work for the weaker one.
The supination is not decoration. Rotating from a neutral or pronated start to a palm-up finish shortens the biceps as the elbow closes and lets the elbow tuck tight to the ribs, which puts the line of pull straight down the lat rather than out through the rear delt.
Where it fits
Second or third movement on a pulling day, after your heavy bilateral row or pulldown. Three sets per side in the 8-12 range is enough. Start every set with your weaker arm and give the strong side exactly the same reps, not the reps it could do.
If this one isn't it
No kit, too hard, or too easy — here's where to go instead.
Same job, different kit
Start here instead
Asked and answered
Does the wrist rotation actually do anything?
It buys you range and elbow position. Finishing palm-up lets the elbow stay tight to the ribs through the last few inches, which keeps the pull on the lat instead of the rear delt. Whether it adds anything for the biceps is marginal — treat it as a positioning tool, not a bicep builder.
How is this different from a one-arm dumbbell row?
The cable pulls horizontally the whole way, so tension is constant and highest at the stretched start; a dumbbell is fought against gravity and gets easy as your elbow passes your ribs. The split stance also means your lower back is not holding a bent-over position for the whole set.
Can I go heavy on this?
Only up to the point where your stance holds. It is a single-arm cable movement — the stack will drag you forward long before your lats fail. Use it for controlled work in the 6-12 range and put your heavy loading into barbell rows or weighted pull-ups.
My biceps give out before my back does. What do I fix?
Two things: start the rep with the shoulder blade rather than the elbow, and stop squeezing the handle so hard. A thumbless or looser grip and a deliberate scapular start usually shift the work back where you want it within a session.