Want to Do a Pull-Up? This Bodyweight Exercise Can Help You Get There

If you’re serious about strengthening your back, but don’t have weights at your disposal, might we suggest the inverted row? This bodyweight exercise—which involves lying beneath a bar and pulling yourself toward it while keeping your body in a straight line—is a surefire way to ignite a ton of upper-body pulling muscles while also smoking your core too. That motion can help build strength that translates over to tons of daily tasks, like walking an energetic dog or opening a heavy door, to name a few.

Evan Williams, CSCS, CPT, founder of E2G Performance and strength and conditioning coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, has both his general population exercisers and professional athletes do the inverted row in their workouts. “It’s a good alternative to the traditional pull-up,” he tells SELF. And unlike the classic pull-up, which is a pretty advanced move, there are tons of ways to scale the inverted row to varying fitness levels, making it accessible to a bunch of different exercisers.

Below, all you need to know about this stellar move, including which muscles it works, how it compares to the pull-up, the best inverted row alternatives, and how to do inverted rows at home.

What muscles does the inverted row work?

When it comes to the muscles worked in the inverted row, the biggest is your latissimus dorsi (lats, the broadest muscle in your back), Williams says. You’ll also fire up your rhomboids (upper back muscles that attach to your shoulder blades) and trapezius (traps, another upper back muscle that attaches to the shoulder blades, and also extends up into the neck), he adds. Your arms get in on the action too, with your biceps working to complete the pulling motion. And so does your core, Williams says, since your midsection helps stabilize your body as you complete your reps.

Are inverted rows better than pull-ups?

The inverted row and the pull-up work pretty much the same muscles, Williams says, so it’s only natural to wonder how they stack up to each other.

The truth? The inverted row isn’t “better” than the pull-up, Williams says. It’s just different. The inverted row works more horizontal pulling strength and power, which comes in handy for everyday tasks like walking a dog that’s really tugging on the leash or heaving open a big door, he explains. And the pull-up hones your vertical pulling strength and power, which translates to things like climbing a rope or scaling a rock wall.

The traditional pull-up delivers more of a challenge to your back and arm muscles than the traditional inverted row because you’re pulling your full bodyweight (versus just a portion of it), so if you’re wanting to really maximize your strength and power gains, the pull-up might be the way to go. (That said, there are many ways to crank up the intensity of the inverted row—for example, by elevating your legs on a box or step or adding a weight vest for increased resistance, Williams says.)

But on the flip side, because the inverted row is less demanding on your muscles and easier to modify than the pull-up (for example, you can bend your knees to reduce the load on your upper body, spread your feet apart to increase your base of support, or use a higher bar to reduce the impact of gravity), it’s more beginner-friendly, Williams explains. For that reason, it’s also often used as part of a pull-up progression plan. There are also lots of ways to get creative with the inverted row, using things like at-home-friendly parallel bars (see below!), a straight bar, Smith bar, power rack, suspension trainers, and even household objects like towels to complete the exercise. Whereas the pull-up requires pretty specific equipment—the pull-up bar. This makes the inverted row more accessible, especially for the at-home exerciser.

Are inverted rows and Australian pull-ups the same exercise?

Yep! These two terms refer to the same exact exercise, Williams says. You might also hear the name “bodyweight row” thrown out there as well—that’s referring to the same move too!

What are the best alternatives to inverted rows?

If you don’t have a set of parallel bars at your disposal, there are still lots of ways to do the inverted row. One is by using suspension straps, which allow you to do a TRX inverted row.

You can also use a sturdy chair, desk, or table, Williams says: Simply angle yourself beneath the object, grip onto the sides of it, and pull yourself up toward it. Another option is to wrap a towel around something sturdy, like a beam, pole, or even a door frame and do a bodyweight row from there. Or wield a (strong) workout buddy: Sit on the ground and have someone reach out with both hands. Grab onto them, using either one or both of your hands, and pull yourself up to standing.

How can you do inverted rows at home?

You can buy mini parallel bars (also called parallettes), which are a great way to do this exercise outside of the gym. Start with 5 to 10 reps, and repeat for 2 to 3 total sets, Williams suggests. Incorporate it into a back-specific workout, or as part of your regular full-body strength session.

Ready to give it a go? Follow the below instructions to crush the traditional inverted row (legs straight) or try the more beginner-friendly version by bending your knees.

Inverted Row

• Position yourself beneath a set of parallel bars with your back facing the ground, one hand gripping each bar in neutral grip. Your wrists should be at chest level, arms straight, and palms facing each other. Extend your legs straight with heels on the ground, toes pointed up. This is the starting position.
• Draw your shoulder blades together, engage your core, and keeping your body straight, bend elbows to pull yourself up.
• Lift your head to about bar height; pause. Slowly lower to the starting position to complete 1 rep.

Modified Inverted Row

• Position yourself beneath a set of parallel bars with your back facing the ground, one hand gripping each bar in neutral grip. Your wrists should be at chest level, arms straight, and palms facing each other. Knees are bent and feet are planted on the ground. This is the starting position.
• Draw your shoulder blades together, engage your core, and keeping your body straight, bend elbows to pull yourself up.
• Lift your head to about bar height; pause. Slowly lower to the starting position to complete 1 rep.

Demoing the moves above is Landyn Pan, an online fitness and nutrition coach who helps LGBTQ+ individuals feel confident and affirmed in their bodies.

Related:

• 12 Benefits of Strength Training That Go Beyond Building Muscle
• 6 Reasons to Work Your Core That Have Nothing to Do With ‘Getting Abs’
• Progressive Overload Is the Gym Secret You Need to Finally Hit Your Fitness Goals

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