12 Renegade Row Alternatives for Full-Body Strength

Explore the top 12 renegade row alternatives that target your back, core, and arms. Whether you’re a CrossFitter, bodybuilder, or a recreational lifter looking to switch up your workout, discover exercises that challenge and build full-body strength.

As a personal trainer with six years of experience, I’ve observed that planks are among the most despised exercises. Things get even worse when you add dumbbell rows to the equation.

The renegade row is a functional exercise that combines high planks and dumbbell rows. This exercise can boost your strength, stability, and coordination while improving your physique aesthetics.

12 Best Renegade Row Alternatives

Below, you’ll find a selection of renegade row alternatives that employ a variety of equipment, including dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, and cables, suitable for individuals across all experience levels:

Push-Up with Dumbbell Row

This is a progression exercise for the conventional renegade row, which primarily focuses on the back, core, and arms. This alternative exercise variation adds an extra challenge by engaging the chest.

I incorporate push-up dumbbell rows into the HIIT routines of clients aiming to lose weight and tone their physiques.

How To:

1. Place two dumbbells shoulder-width apart on the floor so their handles are parallel.
2. Get into a high plank position while holding the dumbbells with a neutral grip. Your wrists, elbows, and shoulders should be stacked.
3. Your legs should be extended straight behind you, and your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
4. Flex your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
5. Explode back to the starting position.
6. Lock out your elbows at the top of the range of motion.
7. Brace your abs and glutes, and bring the right dumbbell to your side by pulling your elbow toward your midline.
8. Pause and contract your lat at the top.
9. Slowly return to the starting position.
10. Perform another push-up.
11. Repeat the dumbbell row on the left side.
12. Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.

Barbell Row

The barbell row is my favorite back exercise. Not only does it help you build the coveted V-taper, but it also engages and strengthens your core, which can improve your performance in other compound exercises.

How To:

1. Stand upright with a hip-width stance.
2. Hold a barbell with a shoulder-wide overhand grip against your thighs.
3. Hinge at the hips and lower your torso toward the floor until it is at 45 degrees.
4. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
5. Brace your core and pull the barbell to your belly button by driving your elbows toward the ceiling while keeping them tight to the sides.
6. Hold the isometric contraction for a second.
7. Use slow eccentrics to maximize the time under tension and hypertrophy. (1)

Check out our detailed barbell row guide!

Dumbbell Row

I cannot emphasize this enough. You must master dumbbell rows before you try renegade rows. I prefer the unilateral variation of this compound exercise, as it is more effective for engaging the core and fixing strength and muscle imbalances.

How To:

1. Stand upright, facing a dumbbell rack with a dumbbell in your right hand.
2. Take a staggered stance with your left foot in front and place your left hand on the dumbbell rack.
3. Your torso should be at 45 degrees, your knees should be slightly flexed, and your right arm should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
4. Keeping your arm tight to your side, pull the dumbbell to your midline.
5. Pause and contract your lat at the top.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.

Learn all you need to know about the unilateral dumbbell row here!

Meadows Rows

This exercise is the namesake of the late bodybuilder John Meadows. This exercise’s unique line of pull maximizes lat stimulation, making it one of the top renegade row alternatives. The barbell moves away from your body on concentrics and returns to the midline on eccentrics.

How To:

1. Put one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment.
2. Load the other end with an appropriate weight.
3. Stand parallel to the bar so your nose is in line with the bar’s end cap.
4. Get into a staggered stance with the right foot forward.
5. Hinge forward so your torso is at 45 degrees, and grasp the barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip with your left hand.
6. Perform a row while driving through your elbow.
7. Switch sides after completing the recommended reps.

Master the Meadows rows with this guide!

Dumbbell Plank Pull Through

This is a regression exercise for the renegade rows, which makes it an excellent movement for beginners. Conversely, advanced exercisers should use a heavy dumbbell for this exercise to torch their lats.

How To:

1. Get into a high plank position with a dumbbell 5-6 inches away from your chest on the left side. Place the dumbbell vertically.
2. Thread your right arm from under your body and grab the dumbbell with an underhand grip.
3. Pull the dumbbell from under your body and place it at an equivalent distance on your right side.
4. Return your right hand to the starting position.
5. Repeat with your left arm.
6. Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.

Seal Row

Seal rows limit core engagement, allowing you to focus on your back. It is among the best renegade row alternatives if you’re aiming for a better mind-muscle connection.

If you don’t have access to a seal row bench in your gym, place a flat bench on a couple of aerobic steps to create the requisite elevation.

How To:

1. Place a loaded barbell under a flat bench.
2. Lie on your chest on the bench with your legs extended straight behind you.
3. Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
4. Keeping your elbows tight to the sides, pull the bar to the base of the bench’s back pad.
5. Pause at the isometric contraction point.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Check out our complete seal row guide here!

Pendlay Row

The Pendlay row is a barbell bent-over row variation that involves returning the bar to the floor with each rep. This exercise can help develop explosive upper body strength.

How To:

1. Place a loaded barbell on the floor.
2. Bend your knees, hinge at the hips, and lean forward until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Your torso should remain in this position throughout the exercise.
3. Now, flex your knees and grab the bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
4. Brace your core and pull the barbell to your belly button while driving through your elbows.
5. Pause and squeeze your lats at the top.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Explore the ultimate guide to Pendlay rows!

Seated Cable Row

Cables and machines help keep constant tension on the target muscle, which can lead to better mind-muscle connection and muscle activation.

How To:

1. Select an appropriate weight on the stack.
2. Attach a V-handle bar to the pulley.
3. Grab the handles with a neutral grip, sit on the machine’s seat, and place your feet on the foot platform.
4. The weight should be engaged in the starting position.
5. Pull the handle to your belly button by driving your elbows behind the midline.
6. Squeeze your lats at the top of the ROM.

Check out the in-depth seated cable row guide here!

Inverted Row

This is a regression exercise for the renegade row. Although this exercise might look easy, completing 12-15 bodyweight reps is challenging. You could perform the inverted rows in a squat rack or a Smith machine.

How To:

1. Set the Smith machine barbell at waist height.
2. Lie supine on the floor so your chest is under the barbell.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip.
4. Your back should be off the floor at the starting position. Your heels should be the only touch point with the ground, and your body, from head to heels, should be in a straight line.
5. Keeping your elbows tight to the sides, pull your chest to the barbell.
6. Pause and contract your back at the top.
7. Slowly return to the starting position.

Decode the inverted row with this guide!

TRX Row 

The TRX row is an inverted row progression exercise. TRX trainers add instability to the exercise, which leads to greater core stabilizer muscle recruitment.

How To:

1. Anchor the TRX trainers to a sturdy, elevated object like a pull-up bar.
2. The handles should be at waist height.
3. Grab the D-handles with a neutral grip.
4. Take baby steps forward to get into a supine plank position.
5. Your arms should be fully extended and your body at 45 degrees at the starting position.
6. Drive your chest to the handles by flexing your elbows.
7. Hold the isometric contraction for at least a second.

Drill the suspended rows using this guide!

Banded Row

Banded rows are incredibly effective renegade row alternatives for beginners and people who train at home. More advanced exercisers can combine multiple bands for a more challenging set.

The great thing about resistance band exercises is that they become more challenging toward the end of the concentric phase, leading to greater muscle stimulation.

How To:

1. Grab the D-handles of a resistance bar with an overhand grip.
2. Place the center of the resistance band on the floor.
3. Stand on the band with a shoulder-wide stance. (Use a wider foot placement if you’re using a relatively lighter band.)
4. Slightly bend your knees, hinge at the hips, and lean forward until your torso is at 45 degrees.
5. Pull the handles to your sides by driving through your elbows.
6. Pause and contract your lats at the top.
7. Rinse and repeat.

Banded Pull Aparts

The posterior deltoids are the secondary muscles targetted in the renegade rows. They are also among the most stubborn muscle groups to develop. The banded reverse flye is a beginner-friendly exercise to develop the rear deltoids.

How To:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
2. Grab a resistance band with a slightly wider than shoulder-width overhand grip.
3. Extend your arms in front of your chest.
4. Pull your arms to the sides while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
5. Pause at the top of the ROM.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Read the in-depth banded pull-apart guide here!

Wrapping Up

The renegade row is an excellent posterior chain-building exercise. The 12 renegade row alternatives listed in this article will help you add variety to your training regimen and avoid strength and muscle plateaus.

If you have any questions about renegade rows, drop them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References

1. Bernárdez-Vázquez, R., Raya-González, J., Castillo, D., & Beato, M. (2022). Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review. Frontiers in sports and active living, 4, 949021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.949021

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