10 Best Barbell Rear Delt Row Alternatives for Rear Delt Strength

The Barbell Rear Delt Row is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Rear Delt Row. A harder version, the Barbell Pendlay Row, is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.

The barbell loaded for rear delt rows often gets claimed for a bent over row, and the Barbell Rear Delt Row bends you forward at the hips, pulling the bar to your chest and squeezing your shoulder blades for the delts, trapezius and rhomboids. The nearest swap is the Dumbbell Rear Delt Row, which keeps the hinge and squeeze but raises a dumbbell out to the sides, not to the chest. With no dumbbells either, the Kettlebell Two Arm Row copies the barbell path, pulling a kettlebell to your chest.

Barbell Rear Delt RowWatch the Barbell Rear Delt Row

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Rear Delt Row

The steps for the Barbell Rear Delt Row itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with trapezius, rhomboids, biceps · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  4. Pull the barbell towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Rear Delt Row Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Rear Delt Row on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Dumbbell Rear Delt RowPlay demonstration

    1. Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

    86% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
    3. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    4. Extend your arms straight down towards the floor, with a slight bend in your elbows.
    5. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
  2. Barbell Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    2. Barbell Bent Over Row

    83% match

    Upper Back · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the upper back rather than the delts.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Bend forward at the hips while keeping your back straight and chest up.
    3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Pull the barbell towards your lower chest by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, not delts
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
  3. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

    3. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

    83% match

    Middle Back · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the middle back rather than the delts.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: middle back, not delts
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
  5. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    5. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

    81% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the lats rather than the delts.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not delts
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Rear Delt Row

Why You Might Need a Barbell Rear Delt Row Alternative

A lifter reaches for a swap for plain equipment reasons: the barbell rack is busy, home training has dumbbells or a pair of kettlebells but no straight bar, or the barbell is simply not free right now. The Barbell Rear Delt Row locks both hands to one bar on a single path, which is what makes it hard to replace on demand. Every option keeps the same hinge and the same row, but only the Dumbbell Rear Delt Row and the Kettlebell Two Arm Row stay close to the rear delt work; most barbell versions shift load into the upper or middle back. Some swap the bar for dumbbells so each arm travels its own path, one hands you a kettlebell for each hand, and others shift the grip or angle to bias a different part of the back.

How to Choose the Right Barbell Rear Delt Row Substitute

Match the equipment you actually have. The Dumbbell Rear Delt Row keeps the same stance and squeeze, but arms hang nearly straight and raise the dumbbells out to the sides, not your chest, so use far less weight. With no dumbbells, the Kettlebell Two Arm Row keeps the same hinge and pulls a kettlebell in each hand to your chest with the same squeeze, suiting home training or no free barbell. If you have a barbell and want a heavier back row, the Barbell Bent Over Row shares the stance and grip but brings the bar to your lower chest, landing more on the upper back. Once the Barbell Rear Delt Row feels manageable, the Barbell Pendlay Row keeps the bar and stance but pulls toward your upper abdomen, so treat it as a step up, not a plain substitute.

Barbell Rear Delt Row FAQ

Can I do the Barbell Rear Delt Row at home?

Yes, with a pair of dumbbells or two kettlebells. The Dumbbell Rear Delt Row keeps the same bent over stance and shoulder-blade squeeze, but you raise the dumbbells out to the sides rather than rowing them to your chest. With two kettlebells instead, the Kettlebell Two Arm Row pulls one in each hand up to your chest like the barbell does and needs no bar or rack at all.

Which swap uses kettlebells instead of a barbell?

The Kettlebell Two Arm Row. You hinge at the hips the same way and pull a kettlebell in each hand up to your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together just as you would with the bar. It suits home training or a corner of the gym where a barbell and rack are already taken.

How does the Barbell Bent Over Row change the target from the Barbell Rear Delt Row?

The Barbell Bent Over Row uses the same barbell, the same bent over stance and the same grip width, but you pull the bar to your lower chest and squeeze the back muscles, so the upper back does more of the work than the rear delts. Choose it when you have the bar and want a heavier general back row rather than a rear delt day.

When should I move up to the Barbell Pendlay Row?

The Barbell Pendlay Row uses the same bar and stance as the Barbell Bent Over Row, but pulls the bar up toward your upper abdomen rather than your lower chest. Treat it as the next step once the Barbell Rear Delt Row feels manageable, not a straight swap for a busy day.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.