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Renegade Row strength standards

What is a good Renegade Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Renegade Row is about 65 lb (0.36x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 115 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Renegade Row Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 0 10 34 73 123
120 1 13 39 80 132
130 2 15 43 86 140
140 3 18 48 92 148
150 4 21 52 98 156
160 5 23 57 104 163
170 6 26 61 110 170
180 8 29 65 115 177
190 9 31 69 120 183
200 11 34 72 125 189
210 12 37 76 130 195
220 14 39 80 135 201
230 15 42 83 140 207
240 17 44 87 144 212
250 18 47 90 149 218
260 20 49 94 153 223
270 21 51 97 157 228
280 23 54 100 161 233
290 24 56 103 165 238
300 26 58 107 169 243
310 27 61 110 173 247

The Renegade Row standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Renegade Row Standards by Age

How the Renegade Row standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 5 22 52 96 149
20 6 25 60 110 171
25 6 26 61 113 175
30 6 26 61 113 175
35 6 26 61 113 175
40 6 26 61 113 175
45 6 24 58 107 166
50 5 23 55 100 156
55 5 21 51 93 145
60 4 19 46 85 132
65 4 18 42 76 119
70 4 16 37 69 107
75 3 14 34 61 96
80 3 13 30 55 86
85 3 11 27 49 77
90 2 10 24 44 69

The Renegade Row standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Renegade Row Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 65 lbs (0.36x bodyweight) on the Renegade Row is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Renegade Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Renegade Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

You can perform the Renegade Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Your Renegade Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

You have built substantial back development through the Renegade Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Your Renegade Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Renegade Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Renegade Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Renegade Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Renegade Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Renegade Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Renegade Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Renegade Row

Renegade Row demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Core, Back, Arms
Equipment Dumbbells
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound
  1. Start in a plank position with each hand gripping a dumbbell, wrists directly under shoulders, and feet hip-width apart.
  2. Engage your core to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  3. Row the right dumbbell towards your ribcage while maintaining balance and minimizing torso rotation.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back to the ground with control.
  5. Repeat the rowing motion with your left hand.
  6. Continue alternating rows for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to prevent your hips from sagging or rotating.
  • Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form throughout the exercise.
  • Keep your glutes tight and ensure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
  • If you're a beginner, start without weights to master the plank position before adding the rowing motion.

Read the complete Renegade Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Renegade Row Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Renegade Row table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Renegade Row itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Renegade Row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Renegade Row after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Renegade Row table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.