Inverted row
Log this in the trackerAlso known as: Body row
A bodyweight row under a fixed bar, scalable from beginner to hard by foot position.
What it is
You hang under a bar set at hip or chest height and pull your chest to it, keeping the body in a straight line. It is the horizontal partner to the pull-up, and far more accessible.
Muscles worked
Primary: Upper back, Lats. Secondary: Biceps, Rear deltoids, Core.
How to perform it
- Set a bar in a rack at about hip height, or use rings or a suspension trainer.
- Lie underneath and take an overhand grip slightly wider than the shoulders.
- Set the body in one line from heels to head, glutes and core tight.
- Pull the chest to the bar, squeezing the shoulder blades, then lower to straight arms.
Common form faults
- Hips sagging so the chest arrives before the body does. Squeeze the glutes and move as one plank. Raise the bar to make it easier.
- Chin reaching for the bar instead of the chest. Keep the neck neutral and aim the sternum at the bar.
Programming
8 to 15 reps. Raise the bar to scale down, lower it or elevate the feet to scale up. A staple of any equipment-free session.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Do inverted rows help my pull-ups?
- Yes. They build the same back and arm muscles with a load you can actually control, which is exactly what a first pull-up needs.
- No rack at home?
- A sturdy table edge, a suspension trainer on a door anchor, or a broomstick across two chairs all work if they are genuinely stable.