5 Close-grip One-Arm Row Alternatives for At-Home Training

If you can't perform the Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row, use other single‑arm horizontal pulls and vertical pulls to target the lats and scapular retractors. Try a close-grip single-arm inverted row, towel-assisted one-arm row, or assisted pull-up. Cue: pull the elbow down and back, feeling the lat contract and the scapula retract.

Original Exercise: Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Body-weight
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Forearms
How to Perform Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row
  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.

Best Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row Alternatives

Best Match
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

1. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

95.4% 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.
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

2. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

94.7% 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 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.
Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

3. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

92.2% Match
Lats Body-weight Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
  4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

4. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

89% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a towel in front of you with both hands.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Bodyweight Standing Row

5. Bodyweight Standing Row

88.2% Match
Lats Body-weight Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
  3. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

6. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

85.2% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

7. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

82.3% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let the dumbbell hang straight down towards the floor, with your arm fully extended.
  4. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups

8. Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups

79.7% 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.
Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

9. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

79.4% 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.
Bent Over Barbell Row

10. Bent Over Barbell Row

77.4% 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.

Why You Might Need a Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row Alternative

You may need substitutes because of limited equipment, pain with the standing position, shoulder instability, or to vary stimulus. Substitutes preserve the same pulling pattern and lat activation while changing load, grip, or range of motion. Choose movements that maintain elbow-driven scapular retraction so the lat fibers shorten under tension. Technique cue: keep the ribs down and hinge at the hips to avoid lumbar compensation and ensure the lat — not the biceps — initiates the pull.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to the limiting factor: choose horizontal pulls (inverted rows) if you lack vertical pull equipment, and select assisted or towel variations if grip or shoulder pain limits range. Prioritize exercises that reproduce elbow adduction and scapular retraction to load the lats. For progressive overload, alter body angle, add pauses at peak contraction, or increase time under tension. Technique cue: initiate each rep by pulling the elbow toward the hip and hold the scapula retracted 1–2 seconds to maximize lat recruitment and minimize shoulder shrugging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row work?

It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and secondary scapular retractors (rhomboids, middle trapezius) while engaging the posterior deltoid and biceps. The close grip shifts emphasis to elbow-driven adduction, increasing lat fiber shortening and thoracic extension control.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row?

The single-arm close-grip inverted row is the best bodyweight substitute because it preserves the same horizontal‑pull pattern and elbow path. Cue: keep a straight plank line and pull the elbow to the hip to maintain lat-focused activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row?

Yes. You can build the lats with other bodyweight rows, assisted pull-ups, and towel rows by ensuring progressive overload and full scapular retraction. Focus on exercise selection that replicates elbow adduction and sustained lat tension to stimulate hypertrophy.

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