It is a great way to promote and improve posture and increase overall strength and power. This exercise will promote thoracic extension and glute/hip extension, while activating the core to stabilize the lumbar spine for maximum extension strength.

This exercise should be done with a cable column. You can use a rope or double grip bar/handle.
Start in a squatting position. Stand up straight while using both hands to pull the weight to your chest.
As you stand, focus on pushing your chest out or extending your thoracic spine and drive up from your glutes.

For a more advanced version of this exercise– done to promote improved rotational stability– do a one arm squat row. For this version, start in the squat position with the weight in one hand.
As you stand, pull the weight to your chest.
Continue to focus on pushing your chest our or extending your thoracic spine.

For a final progression of this exercise, do a single leg squat or lunge as you pull with one arm. In this version, you will have one leg forward like in a lunge or single leg squat and the weight will be in the opposite hand.
As you stand and pull, bring the back knee up to your chest for full hip extension of the leg being pressed.

Squat Row