10 Best Alternating Renegade Row Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you can't perform the Alternating Renegade Row, use single-arm rows, chest-supported rows, inverted rows, barbell bent-over rows, or seated cable rows to hit the middle-back. Focus on scapular retraction and a neutral spine: brace your core, hinge at the hips, and pull the elbow back to the hip to replicate the same mid-trap and rhomboid activation.

Original Exercise: Alternating Renegade Row

Alternating Renegade Row
Primary Muscle
Middle-back
Equipment
Kettlebell
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Abdominals, Biceps, Chest, Lats, Triceps
How to Perform Alternating Renegade Row
  1. Place two kettlebells on the floor about shoulder width apart. Position yourself on your toes and your hands as though you were doing a pushup, with the body straight and extended. Use the handles of the kettlebells to support your upper body. You may need to position your feet wide for support.
  2. Push one kettlebell into the floor and row the other kettlebell, retracting the shoulder blade of the working side as you flex the elbow, pulling it to your side.
  3. Then lower the kettlebell to the floor and begin the kettlebell in the opposite hand. Repeat for several reps.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Alternating Renegade Row Alternatives

Best Match
Alternating Kettlebell Row

1. Alternating Kettlebell Row

89.3% Match
Middle-back Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and push your butt out as much as possible. As you bend over to get into the starting position grab both kettlebells by the handles.
  2. Pull one kettlebell off of the floor while holding on to the other kettlebell. Retract the shoulder blade of the working side, as you flex the elbow, drawing the kettlebell towards your stomach or rib cage.
  3. Lower the kettlebell in the working arm and repeat with your other arm.
Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

2. Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

82.3% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward.
  2. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
  3. Now grab the bar with one arm just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the bar straight up with your elbow in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Do not allow for any swinging of the torso. Only the arm should move.
  5. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones).
Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row

3. Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row

81.6% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward.
  2. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
  3. Now grab the bar with both arms just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the bar straight up with your elbows in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Use a stirrup or double handle cable attachment by hooking it under the end of the bar.
  5. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones).
T-Bar Row With Handle

4. T-Bar Row With Handle

81.6% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Position a bar into a landmine or in a corner to keep it from moving. Load an appropriate weight onto your end.
  2. Stand over the bar, and position a Double D row handle around the bar next to the collar. Using your hips and legs, rise to a standing position.
  3. Assume a wide stance with your hips back and your chest up. Your arms should be extended. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the weight to your upper abdomen by retracting the shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Do not jerk the weight or cheat during the movement.
  5. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

5. Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

81% Match
Middle-back Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and then push your butt out as much as possible as you bend over to get in the starting position.
  2. Grab both kettlebells and pull them to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

6. Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

81% Match
Middle-back Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your torso), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward by bending at the waist; as you bend make sure to keep your back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
  2. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side (as you breathe out), keeping the elbows close to the body (do not exert any force with the forearm other than holding the weights). On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
  3. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In

7. Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In

81% Match
Middle-back Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing each other), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
  2. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side as you breathe out, squeezing your shoulder blades together. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
  3. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

8. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

77.6% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a loaded barbell on the end of a bench. Standing on the bench behind the bar, take a medium, pronated grip. Stand with your hips back and chest up, maintaining a neutral spine. This will be your starting position.
  2. Row the bar to your torso by retracting the shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Use a controlled movement with no jerking.
  3. After a brief pause, slowly return the bar to the starting position, ensuring to go all the way down.
Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups

9. Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups

74.4% Match
Lats Stability-ball Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inwards and your arms extended down by your sides.
  3. Engage your core and slowly lift one arm up towards your shoulder, keeping your elbow slightly bent.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the movement with the other arm.
Lying Cambered Barbell Row

10. Lying Cambered Barbell Row

73.4% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a cambered bar underneath an exercise bench.
  2. Lie face down on the exercise bench and grab the bar using a palms down (pronated grip) that is wider than shoulder width. This will be your starting position.
  3. As you exhale row the bar up as you keep the elbows close to your body to either your chest, in order to target the upper mid back, or to your stomach if targeting the lats is your goal.
  4. After a second hold at the top, lower back down to the starting position slowly as you inhale.

Why You Might Need a Alternating Renegade Row Alternative

You might substitute the Alternating Renegade Row because of wrist or shoulder pain from the plank position, limited access to kettlebells, poor core stability, or a need to emphasize pure pulling strength over anti-rotation. For example, a chest-supported dumbbell row removes the plank demand and isolates the mid-back (rhomboids and mid-traps) while maintaining scapular retraction. If balance is the limiter, choose an inverted row to preserve horizontal pulling mechanics but reduce single-arm instability. Use technique cues, keep hips square, maintain neutral spine, and pull the elbow to the ribcage, to preserve the same muscle recruitment patterns.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, core demand, unilateral vs bilateral loading, and desired muscle emphasis. If you lack kettlebells but want unilateral strength, pick a single-arm dumbbell row: hinge at the hips, keep the chest almost parallel, and drive the elbow to the hip to maximize lats and posterior deltoid activation. For reduced core stress, use chest-supported rows to isolate mid-back scapular retractors. If you want horizontal pulling with bodyweight, pick inverted or suspension rows and cue a rigid plank line to train scapular control and mid-trap recruitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Alternating Renegade Row work?

The Alternating Renegade Row targets the lats, mid-traps, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids while demanding heavy anti-rotation from the obliques and rectus abdominis. Maintain scapular retraction and a braced core to ensure the mid-back, not torso rotation, does the pulling work.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Alternating Renegade Row?

The inverted row (bodyweight horizontal pull) is the best bodyweight substitute: keep your body rigid, retract the scapula, and pull your chest to the bar to load the mid-traps and rhomboids. Adjust foot elevation to increase or decrease intensity while preserving horizontal pull mechanics.

Can I build muscle without doing Alternating Renegade Row?

Yes. You can build the middle-back using progressive overload with alternatives like single-arm dumbbell rows, barbell bent-over rows, and seated cable rows. Focus on full range of motion, pulling the elbow to the hip, and gradually increasing load or volume to drive hypertrophy.

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