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Draw a Seated Tubing Row: Pose, Tubing Path, and Motion Arrows
Learn to draw a seated exercise pose with resistance tubing: anchor the tubing, place joints, show the rowing arc, and check proportions with simple measurements.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Object Drawing Lessons
This guide teaches a clear, checkable way to draw a person seated on a bench performing a rowing motion with resistance tubing. The drawing convention is simple: use a light stick figure for joints, then build simple body shapes around it. Tubing is drawn as a smooth double line that follows a believable path from anchor to hands. Motion arrows show the pulling direction. You will use a defined proportion convention and a rubric that accepts valid stylistic alternatives, because letter styles and body shapes vary. All measurements are hypothetical examples; measure your own paper and tools before drawing.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Set the pose and joint landmarks
Begin with a seated side view facing right. Draw a horizontal bench line. Place the hip joint slightly above the bench, the knee joint forward and lower, and the ankle below the knee. The torso leans forward about one hand-width from vertical at the start of the row. The shoulder sits above the hip, and the elbow hangs below the shoulder. Keep the head centered over the neck.
Use a joint-angle guide: at the start, the elbow angle is open, roughly 150 degrees; at the finish, the elbow bends to roughly 90 degrees as the hand comes toward the ribs. These numbers are hypothetical examples for practice, not standards. Mark the start hand position forward of the knee and the finish hand position near the lower ribs.
- Draw the bench line and mark hip, knee, and ankle joints.
- Add shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints for the start position.
- Draw a light torso line from hip to shoulder, leaning slightly forward.
- Mark the finish hand position near the ribs and the finish elbow position behind the torso.
- Check that the head sits above the neck and the feet rest flat.
Draw the tubing path and anchor
The tubing must connect an anchor to the hands without crossing through the body. In this side view, place the anchor low and forward, such as on a sturdy post at ankle height. Draw the tubing as two close parallel lines that curve gently from the anchor to the start hand. At the finish, the tubing shortens and straightens slightly as the hand pulls back.
Show the tubing passing outside the knee, not through it. If the tubing would cross the leg, move the anchor slightly forward or draw the near hand outside the knee line. Keep the tubing path smooth; avoid sharp kinks unless you are showing a deliberate wrap, which is outside this task.
- Mark the anchor point low and forward of the feet.
- Draw a smooth double line from anchor to start hand, passing outside the knee.
- Draw a second tubing path for the finish position, shorter and slightly straighter.
- Check that tubing does not cross the torso or head.
- Label the anchor and hand connection points lightly.
Add motion arrows and body shapes
Motion arrows show the rowing direction. Draw one arrow along the tubing from hand toward the anchor to show the pull direction, and a second arrow near the elbow showing the elbow moving back. Keep arrows outside the body outline so they remain readable. Use a consistent arrow style: a straight shaft with a simple triangular head.
Build simple body shapes around the stick figure: a rounded torso, a bent arm with a clear elbow, and a leg with a knee bend. The hand can be a simple oval or mitten shape; fingers are optional. The tubing should appear in front of the hand connection, not hidden behind the palm.
- Draw the pull arrow along the tubing toward the anchor.
- Draw the elbow arrow pointing back and slightly down.
- Add torso, arm, and leg shapes around the joints.
- Keep arrows outside the body outline.
- Erase construction lines lightly, keeping joint marks visible for checking.
Check proportions and readability
Use a simple proportion check: the seated torso from hip to shoulder is about one and a half head heights; the upper arm is about one head height; the forearm is about one head height. These are hypothetical examples. Measure your own drawing with a ruler or paper strip and adjust so the joints stay connected.
Readability check: at a glance, a viewer should see a seated person, a bench, tubing from anchor to hand, and a pulling arrow. If the tubing looks like a straight rod, add a gentle curve. If the elbow angle is unclear, redraw the joint mark and the arm shape around it.
- Measure torso, upper arm, and forearm with a paper strip.
- Compare start and finish elbow angles to the guide marks.
- Confirm tubing passes outside the knee and does not cross the torso.
- Confirm arrows are outside the body and point in the pulling direction.
- Make final line weight heavier on the body and tubing, lighter on guides.
Worked example
Draw a seated side-view row with tubing anchored low and forward. Show start and finish hand positions, tubing path, and two motion arrows. Use the joint-angle guide and proportion check.
Worked answer
A completed drawing shows a bench line, a seated figure facing right, hip above the bench, knee forward, ankle below knee, torso leaning slightly forward, shoulder above hip. The start hand is forward of the knee with an open elbow angle near 150 degrees (hypothetical). The finish hand is near the lower ribs with a bent elbow near 90 degrees (hypothetical). Tubing runs as a smooth double line from a low forward anchor to the hand, passing outside the knee. One arrow points along the tubing toward the anchor; a second arrow near the elbow points back. Proportions are checked with a paper strip: torso about one and a half head heights, upper arm and forearm about one head height each (hypothetical examples).
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
Draw only the stick figure for a seated row start position: bench line, hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and head. Use a side view facing right. Mark the start hand forward of the knee.
Show answer and check
A stick figure with hip slightly above the bench, knee forward and lower, ankle below knee, shoulder above hip, elbow below shoulder, wrist forward of the knee, and head above the neck. The torso line leans slightly forward.
Why: The start position needs an open elbow and a forward hand so the rowing motion has room to travel. Joint landmarks make the pose checkable before body shapes are added.
Check: Confirm all seven joints are marked and connected in order: hip to shoulder, shoulder to elbow to wrist, hip to knee to ankle. Check that the wrist is forward of the knee and the head is above the neck.
Exercise 2
Draw the tubing path for the start position only. Place the anchor low and forward of the feet. Draw a smooth double line from anchor to hand that passes outside the knee. Do not draw the body.
Show answer and check
A smooth double line from a low forward anchor to the start hand, curving gently and passing outside the knee line. The line does not cross the torso area.
Why: The tubing must connect anchor to hand without crossing the body. Passing outside the knee keeps the path believable in a side view.
Check: Trace the tubing from anchor to hand. Confirm it is a double line, has no sharp kinks, and does not intersect the knee or torso area.
Exercise 3
Draw two motion arrows for the row: one along the tubing toward the anchor, and one near the elbow pointing back. Keep both arrows outside the body outline. Add a one-sentence label for each arrow.
Show answer and check
Arrow one runs along the tubing toward the anchor with a label such as 'pull toward anchor.' Arrow two sits near the elbow pointing back with a label such as 'elbow moves back.' Both arrows are outside the body outline.
Why: Arrows communicate direction. Keeping them outside the body prevents confusion with body lines and makes the pulling motion readable.
Check: Confirm each arrow has a shaft and a triangular head, points in the stated direction, and does not overlap the body outline. Read the labels aloud to check they match the arrow direction.
Exercise 4
Draw a finish-position hand near the lower ribs with a bent elbow near 90 degrees (hypothetical example). Show the shortened tubing from the same low forward anchor. Add a proportion check note using a paper strip for torso and arm lengths.
Show answer and check
A finish hand near the lower ribs, elbow bent to about 90 degrees, tubing shorter and slightly straighter from the same anchor, passing outside the knee. A note states the paper-strip check: torso about one and a half head heights, upper arm and forearm about one head height each (hypothetical examples).
Why: The finish position shows the row completed. The shortened tubing and bent elbow distinguish it from the start. The proportion note makes the drawing checkable.
Check: Measure the drawn torso and arms with a paper strip and compare to the note. Confirm the elbow angle is visibly more bent than the start and the tubing remains outside the knee.
Common mistakes
- Drawing the tubing as a straight rigid rod. Use a smooth double line with a gentle curve between anchor and hand; shorten and straighten it slightly at the finish.
- Letting the tubing cross through the knee or torso. Move the anchor slightly forward or draw the near hand outside the knee line so the tubing passes clear of the body.
- Showing the elbow angle the same at start and finish. Mark an open elbow angle at the start and a bent angle at the finish, then draw the arm shape around those joint marks.
- Placing motion arrows inside the body outline. Keep arrows outside the body and along the tubing path so the pulling direction stays readable.
Self-check rubric
- Seated pose is clear: bench, hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, and wrist are readable.
- Torso leans slightly forward and head sits above the neck.
- Start and finish hand positions are distinct and connected to the rowing motion.
- Tubing is a smooth double line from anchor to hand and does not cross the body.
- Two motion arrows are outside the body and show pull direction and elbow movement.
- Joint-angle guide is used or clearly implied; valid stylistic alternatives are accepted.
- Proportion check is visible or described; hypothetical values are labeled as examples.
- Drawing is readable at a glance without construction-line clutter.
Questions and answers
Do I need to draw fingers?
No. A simple oval or mitten hand is acceptable if the tubing connection is clear and the hand position is readable.
Can the anchor be at a different height?
Yes, as long as the tubing path stays believable and does not cross the body. Low and forward is a simple choice for a seated row.
How many motion arrows should I use?
Two is enough: one along the tubing showing the pull, and one near the elbow showing the elbow moving back.
What if my proportions differ from the examples?
The examples are hypothetical. Use your own measured proportions and keep joints connected and the pose readable.