10 Best Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row Alternatives for Home or Gym
If you can’t perform the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row, use other unilateral or bilateral pulling moves that load the lats and scapular retractors. Top options include inverted rows, towel rows, single-arm band rows, and assisted pull-ups — cue a long spine and pull the elbow toward the ribcage to emphasize lat activation.
Original Exercise: Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
How to Perform Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Best Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row Alternatives
1. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
2. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
3. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)
92.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a towel in front of you with both hands.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, 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.
4. Bodyweight Standing Row
87.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
5. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row
87.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
6. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row
85.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down towards the floor, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
7. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row
84.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a barbell with one hand using an overhand grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your head in a neutral position.
- Pull the barbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
8. Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups
84.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inwards and your arms extended down by your sides.
- Engage your core and slowly lift one arm up towards your shoulder, keeping your elbow slightly bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement with the other arm.
9. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
80.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let your arms hang straight down towards the floor, with your elbows slightly bent.
- Pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
10. Bent Over Barbell Row
76.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- 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.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row Alternative
You may substitute the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row for several reasons: shoulder pain with horizontal pulling, limited anchor points, or the need for a simpler progression. Injuries often require reduced shoulder horizontal abduction and less load on the rotator cuff; choose moves that keep the scapula controlled and avoid extreme humeral extension. Equipment limits — no rings or bars — push you toward bands or table/towel rows that still load the lats. Preference for bilateral work or higher volume also drives substitution; bilateral pulls shift demand across both lats and reduce unilateral spinal stabilization. Always cue scapular retraction and keep the elbow tracking close to your torso to maximize lat engagement and limit compensatory biceps pull.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on your goal, available gear, and movement quality. For strength and progressive overload, choose inverted rows with feet elevated or weighted backpack progressions; brace your core, maintain a neutral spine, and pull the chest to the bar to load the lats. If you lack rigid anchors, use heavy resistance bands or towel rows — keep the scapula depressed and retract before each rep to target the lats rather than the upper traps. For rehab or shoulder sensitivity, favor vertical pulling (assisted pull-ups) or controlled single-arm band rows with a slow eccentric; reduce ROM and emphasize slow tempo to preserve joint integrity and maintain lat activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row work?
The exercise primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and secondarily the rhomboids, posterior deltoid, and biceps. It also demands anti-rotation from the obliques and spinal erectors; cue scapular retraction and a neutral spine to maximize lat contribution.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row?
A feet-elevated inverted row is the best bodyweight substitute because it preserves the horizontal pulling pattern and allows progressive overload. Set the bar at chest height, keep the body rigid, and pull the sternum to the bar while driving the elbows toward your hips to emphasize the lats.
Can I build muscle without doing Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row?
Yes — you can build lat muscle with other pulling variations like inverted rows, assisted pull-ups, single-arm band rows, and towel rows by applying progressive overload. Focus on increasing reps, reducing assistance, or adding resistance while cueing long-arm pulls and strong scapular retraction to maintain targeted lat activation.
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