10 Best Barbell One-arm Bent-over Row Alternatives for Limited Gear

Use single-arm dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, inverted rows, lat pulldowns, or single-arm cable rows when you can’t perform the barbell one-arm bent-over row. Choose movements that preserve a horizontal pull and scapular retraction to target the lats. Hinge at the hips, brace your core, and pull the elbow toward your hip.

Original Exercise: Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Forearms
How to Perform Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a barbell with one hand using an overhand grip.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your head in a neutral position.
  3. Pull the barbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

Ranked Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Alternatives

Best Match
Kettlebell One Arm Row

1. Kettlebell One Arm Row

96% Match
Lats Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the kettlebell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat with the other arm.
One-Arm Long Bar Row

2. One-Arm Long Bar Row

95.2% Match
Lats 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 next to the bar, and take a grip with one hand close to the collar. Using your hips and legs, rise to a standing position.
  3. Assume a bent-knee stance with your hips back and your chest up. Your arm should be extended. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the weight to your side by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. Do not jerk the weight or cheat during the movement.
  5. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Bent Over Barbell Row

3. Bent Over Barbell Row

92.2% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), 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 barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
  2. Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.
  3. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

4. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

88.2% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down, and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up, until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
  4. Pull the barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

5. Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

88.2% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
  2. 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 barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
  3. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the barbell as you breathe out, keeping the elbows close to the body and not doing any force with the forearm other than holding the weights. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
  4. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
One-Arm Dumbbell Row

6. One-Arm Dumbbell Row

85.9% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Choose a flat bench and place a dumbbell on each side of it.
  2. Place the right leg on top of the end of the bench, bend your torso forward from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, and place your right hand on the other end of the bench for support.
  3. Use the left hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and hold the weight while keeping your lower back straight. The palm of the hand should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the resistance straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side and keeping the torso stationary. Breathe out as you perform this step. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. Also, make sure that the force is performed with the back muscles and not the arms. Finally, the upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the dumbbell; therefore do not try to pull the dumbbell up using the forearms.
  5. Lower the resistance straight down to the starting position. Breathe in as you perform this step.
Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

7. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

85.2% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

8. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

84.7% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
  4. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
Shotgun Row

9. Shotgun Row

84.7% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a single handle to a low cable.
  2. After selecting the correct weight, stand a couple feet back with a wide-split stance. Your arm should be extended and your shoulder forward. This will be your starting position.
  3. Perform the movement by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. As you pull, supinate the wrist, turning the palm upward as you go.
  4. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

10. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

83.9% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

Why You Might Need a Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Alternative

You may substitute this row due to back pain, lack of a barbell, or a need to change mechanics. The barbell one-arm bent-over row loads the spine and requires a stable hip hinge; lumbar discomfort or limited equipment makes alternatives safer. Chest-supported rows remove lumbar demand and increase lat isolation by supporting the torso. Lat pulldowns and pull-ups shift the line of pull to a vertical plane, changing lat fiber recruitment and reducing spinal shear. Single-arm cable or dumbbell rows let you control rotation and maintain a neutral spine, cue: hinge from the hips, keep the ribs down, and pull the elbow to the hip while retracting the scapula.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on spinal tolerance, loading availability, and the pull plane you need. If you want low spinal stress and maximal lat isolation, choose chest-supported rows and lock your torso to the pad; drive the elbow back and squeeze the lats. For unilateral strength and core carryover, pick single-arm dumbbell rows with a neutral spine and a controlled eccentric. If you require steady tension through the range, choose single-arm cable rows and align the pulley so the handle tracks toward your sternum. Match rep ranges and tempo to your goal: heavier loads for strength, 8–15 reps with slow eccentrics for hypertrophy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row work?

The barbell one-arm bent-over row primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, with secondary load on the rhomboids, middle and lower traps, posterior deltoid and biceps. The erector spinae activates isometrically to stabilize the torso; cue: hinge at the hips, keep a neutral spine, and pull the elbow toward the hip while retracting the scapula.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row?

The inverted row is the best bodyweight substitute. Set a bar at waist height, maintain a straight plank from heels to head, pull your chest to the bar, drive the elbows to the hips, and squeeze the scapulae at the top to maximize lat engagement.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row?

Yes. You can build lats and back muscle with progressive overload using pull-ups, lat pulldowns, chest-supported rows, and single-arm cable or dumbbell rows. Emphasize full elbow extension, a controlled eccentric, and gradual loading to stimulate hypertrophy.

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