- \n
- Secure a barbell in a Smith machine or squat rack at waist height, and lie face-up on the floor beneath it. The bar should be lined up directly above your chest and should not move.<\/li>\n
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip that\u2019s slightly wider than shoulder width, and hang with your arms fully extended. Your body should form a straight line from your head through your spine to your heels, which can be together or hip-width apart.<\/li>\n
- Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and pull your chest to the bar as you keep your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.<\/li>\n
- Pause, and slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Inverted Row Benefits<\/h2>\n
Here are just a handful of reasons to incorporate this bodyweight move into your routine.<\/p>\n
1. Strengthens your upper back and shoulders<\/h3>\n
If you want a shapely, well-rounded physique, you can\u2019t neglect the muscles on the back of your torso. These include the lats, traps, rear delts, and rhomboids, among others.<\/p>\n
Aesthetics aside, strengthening your upper back and shoulders\u00a0improves your posture, while balancing out the muscles on the front of your body (namely, chest and anterior deltoids), says\u00a0Brian Schwabe, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., board-certified sports physical therapist.<\/p>\n
2. Helps you progress your pull-ups<\/h3>\n
To\u00a0get better at pull-ups\u00a0(or log your first unassisted rep), you need to incorporate pulling movements into your strength routine. But you don\u2019t want to overdo the one motion.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther exercises like the inverted row add variety to the program\u2026 and reduce [the] risk of overuse injuries,\u201d says\u00a0Blake Dircksen, D.P.T., C.S.C.S.<\/p>\n
Inverted rows recruit many of the same muscle groups as pull-ups (more on those later).<\/p>\n
The primary difference between the two exercises lies in their orientations: The inverted row is a horizontal pulling exercise, while the pull-up is a vertical pulling exercise, Schwabe says.<\/p>\n
3. Modifies easily<\/h3>\n
The inverted row is a cinch to modify according to your ability and your chosen set-and-rep scheme.<\/p>\n
Simply step your feet backward or forward (or elevate them!) to change your body angle \u2014 and the difficulty of the exercise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more horizontal you are, the tougher the exercise will be. The more vertical you are, the easier,\u201d Dircksen says.<\/p>\n
Inverted Row: Precautions<\/h2>\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/11130658\/Inverted-Row-600-Precautions.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nThe inverted row is pretty straightforward, but there are some risks and common mistakes worth noting.<\/p>\n
Make sure the bar is stable<\/h3>\n
To avoid toppling backwards (ouch!), make sure the bar or suspension trainer you\u2019re using is secure and strong enough to handle your weight, Dircksen says.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t stick out your chin<\/h3>\n
According to Schwabe, many people stick out their chin as they finish the pull, which can cause neck discomfort and pain.<\/p>\n
Keep your neck neutral while you row; if you can\u2019t finish the pull without sticking out your chin, adjust your body angle more vertically to achieve good form.<\/p>\n
A weak core could give you trouble<\/h3>\n
If you lack core strength or experience pain while arching your back, inverted rows could pose problems, Schwabe says.<\/p>\n
If inverted rows cause any discomfort, modify them by bringing your feet closer to your butt or try other variations until you\u2019re ready for the real deal.<\/p>\n
Inverted Row: Muscles Worked<\/h2>\n
![\"Back](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/back-muscles.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nThe inverted row recruits an impressive number of big muscle groups, all of which play a key role in everyday tasks like opening heavy doors, or carrying groceries and luggage.<\/p>\n
Latissimus dorsi<\/h3>\n
You may know these large, fan-shaped muscles on the sides of your back by their abbreviated name, \u201clats.\u201d<\/p>\n
Your lats have many functions, but in the inverted row, they help bring your arms back, Schwabe says.<\/p>\n
Trapezius<\/h3>\n
Your \u201ctraps\u201d are a\u00a0kite-shaped muscle\u00a0that spans from your neck to the middle of your back and out toward your shoulders.<\/p>\n
It helps to pull your shoulder blades (scapulae) in a number of directions, chiefly backward in the case of the inverted row.<\/p>\n
Rhomboids<\/h3>\n
The rhomboids are a pair of muscles underneath your traps that help to draw your shoulder blades together as your row yourself toward the bar.<\/p>\n
Rear deltoids<\/h3>\n
Your posterior, or rear, deltoids are one of three distinct heads that comprise each shoulder.<\/p>\n
While the anterior (front) deltoids help you lift and press objects, and the lateral (side) deltoids help you raise your arms out to the sides, the posterior deltoids help you pull weight toward your body.<\/p>\n
During the inverted row, your posterior delts team up with your lats to extend your arms backward.<\/p>\n
Biceps<\/h3>\n
The biceps (or, rather, the biceps brachii) is a two-headed muscle on the front of the upper arm.<\/p>\n
As with any upper-body pulling exercise, this muscle helps bend your elbow as you pull yourself to the bar.<\/p>\n
Inverted Row: Alternative Moves<\/h2>\n
If you don\u2019t have access to a barbell and rack or a\u00a0suspension trainer, you can still simulate many of the benefits of inverted rows with these alternatives.<\/p>\n
1. Dumbbell bent-over row<\/h3>\n