For lat growth
For lat growth, chest-supported row rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the lats.
Single-arm cable row is easier to progress.
Both are good choices that train the lats the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Chest-Supported Row. Same idea with dumbbells: no momentum, no lower-back fatigue.
Single-Arm Cable Row. One arm at a time lets the shoulder blade reach further forward for a bigger stretch, under steady cable tension.
For lat growth, chest-supported row rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the lats. Single-arm cable row is easier to progress. Both are good choices that train the lats the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Chest-supported row needs dumbbells and a bench, so a home gym covers it. Single-arm cable row needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.