10 Best Band Squat Row Alternatives for Home or Gym
The Band Squat Row is done standing with a band. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Jump Squat, the Bodyweight Drop Jump Squat and the Potty Squat With Support.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle
- Glutes
- Equipment
- Band
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Back
How to perform Band Squat Row
- Attach the band to a sturdy anchor point at waist height.
- Stand facing the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the band handles with your palms facing each other and your arms extended in front of you.
- Bend your knees and lower into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest lifted.
- From the squat position, pull the band handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Band Squat Row Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Band Squat Row on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.
Best match 1. Jump Squat
85% match- Glutes
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the glutes with bodyweight alone.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Jump explosively off the ground, extending your hips, knees, and ankles.
- While in mid-air, quickly bring your arms forward for balance.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately go into the next repetition.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
2. Bodyweight Drop Jump Squat
84% match- Glutes
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Jump up explosively, extending your hips, knees, and ankles.
- While in mid-air, quickly bring your feet together.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately drop back into a squat position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Band Squat Row
3. Potty Squat With Support
81% match- Glutes
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
- Hold onto a stable support, such as a chair or wall, for balance.
- Lower your body down into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Band Squat Row
4. Bodyweight Squatting Row
75% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
A looser match: it works the lats rather than the glutes.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding onto a sturdy object or suspension trainer with your arms extended.
- Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your back straight and your knees behind your toes.
- From the squat position, pull your body up towards the object or suspension trainer, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
5. Squat To Overhead Reach
74% match- Quads
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
A looser match: it works the quads rather than the glutes.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- Lower your body down into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- As you come up from the squat, extend your arms overhead, reaching towards the ceiling.
- Return to the starting position by lowering your arms and bending your knees to squat down again.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: quads, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Quads
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- As you come up from the squat, raise your arms overhead and twist your torso to one side.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the squat, this time twisting your torso to the opposite side.
- Continue alternating sides with each squat repetition.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: quads, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a towel in front of you with your palms facing down.
- Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
- As you lower into the squat, simultaneously pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then slowly return to the starting position while extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Band Squat Row
8. Curtsey Squat
72% match- Glutes
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a step diagonally behind and across your body with your right foot, crossing it behind your left leg.
- Bend both knees as if you were curtsying, lowering your body towards the ground.
- Keep your torso upright and your weight on your front foot.
- Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, stepping diagonally behind and across your body with your left foot.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row

9. Bodyweight Squat
71% match- Quads
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. You can place your hands behind your head. This will be your starting position.
- Begin the movement by flexing your knees and hips, sitting back with your hips.
- Continue down to full depth if you are able,and quickly reverse the motion until you return to the starting position. As you squat, keep your head and chest up and push your knees out.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle: quads, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Band Squat Row
10. Semi Squat Jump
70% match- Quads
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position.
- Jump explosively, extending your hips and knees while swinging your arms for momentum.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately go into the next repetition.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Band Squat Row
- Primary muscle: quads, not glutes
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a band
- Body position: standing, the same as the Band Squat Row
Why You Might Need a Band Squat Row Alternative
You might substitute the Band Squat Row because of limited band options, shoulder or low-back pain, or a need for heavier progressive overload. Alternatives let you separate the hip-extension and pulling demands so you can load the glutes more effectively or regress the row to protect the shoulder. Use unilateral patterns to fix left-right imbalances and bilateral lifts to build maximal strength. Technique cue: keep a neutral spine, drive through the heels for hip extension, and pull the elbow back to engage lats and rhomboids during the row.
Band Squat Row FAQ
What muscles does Band Squat Row work?
The Band Squat Row combines hip extension and horizontal pulling, targeting the glutes, quads, hamstrings, lats, and rhomboids. You generate force through the hips while the row requires scapular retraction and elbow extension to load the posterior shoulder and upper back.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Band Squat Row?
A bodyweight-friendly option is split-squat bodyweight rows using a suspension trainer or table row plus reverse lunges. Cue a straight torso, push through the front heel on the lunge to activate the glute, and pull the shoulder blades together on each row to engage the back.
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