- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternPull
- Reps6 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Set a bar in a rack at about waist height. Lie underneath, grip it a little wider than your shoulders and hold your body straight with your heels on the floor.
First cueKeep your body in one straight line.
How to do the Inverted Row
Set up. Set a bar in a rack at about waist height. Lie underneath, grip it a little wider than your shoulders and hold your body straight with your heels on the floor.
- Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
- Pull your chest up to the bar, driving the elbows back.
- Lower under control to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep your body in one straight line.
- Bend your knees to make it easier.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag.
- Leading with the chin instead of the chest.
Muscles worked
Main target: Upper back. The upper back is the muscle between and around the shoulder blades. It pulls the shoulder blades together and back, which is what every row trains and what holds a posture against a long day at a desk.
On the way: Lats, Biceps and Rear delts.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Inverted Row, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Dip Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Power Clean Same pull session: it trains the traps.
- Wrist Curl Same pull session: it trains the forearms.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Inverted Row first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Inverted Row 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Dip 3 × 4 to 15 reps
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
- Wrist Curl 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Seated Cable Row
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Barbell Row.
Other variations of the Barbell Row: T-Bar Row, Pendlay Row, Chest-Supported Row, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Seated Cable Row, Landmine Row and Smith Machine Row.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Cat-Cow (bracing) and Chest-Supported Row (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Inverted Row is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Inverted Row?
Set up: Set a bar in a rack at about waist height. Lie underneath, grip it a little wider than your shoulders and hold your body straight with your heels on the floor. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes. 2. Pull your chest up to the bar, driving the elbows back. 3. Lower under control to straight arms. Form cues: Keep your body in one straight line. Bend your knees to make it easier. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top. Common mistakes: Letting the hips sag. Leading with the chin instead of the chest.
What muscles does the Inverted Row work?
It trains the upper back as its main target and works the lats, biceps and rear delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Inverted Row?
At home: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row. In a gym: Seated Cable Row. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Inverted Row with?
Good partners in the same workout are Dip, Power Clean and Wrist Curl.