10 Best One-arm Towel Row Alternatives for Home

The Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) is done standing. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row, the Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row and the Bodyweight Standing Row (With Towel).

Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)Watch the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)

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

How to Do the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)

The steps for the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Lats, with biceps, forearms · Bodyweight · Intermediate · Compound

  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.

The 10 Best Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) 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.

  1. Bodyweight Standing One Arm RowPlay demonstration

    1. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

    99% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the lats.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    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.
    6. Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
  2. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm RowPlay demonstration

    2. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

    95% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a close grip.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
  4. Kettlebell One Arm RowPlay demonstration

    4. Kettlebell One Arm Row

    88% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a kettlebell to work with, and it still works the lats.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
  5. One-arm Dumbbell Row

    5. One-arm Dumbbell Row

    87% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    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.
    6. Repeat the movement for the specified amount of repetitions.
    7. Switch sides and repeat again with the other arm.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
  6. One-arm Long Bar Row

    6. One-arm Long Bar Row

    87% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the lats.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: free weights, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
  7. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip RowPlay demonstration

    7. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

    87% match

    Lats · Beginner · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the lats.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    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.
    6. 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, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)

Why You Might Need a Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) Alternative

You might substitute this exercise for several reasons: lack of a secure anchor, door-frame restrictions, wrist or shoulder pain, or the need for progression and variety. Swapping movements can reduce joint strain, e.g., choose a neutral-grip ring row to lower shoulder abduction and impingement risk. Substitutes also let you manipulate load and lever arm; moving your feet forward decreases resistance, while elevating them increases it. Use cues like “initiate the pull with scapular retraction” to keep the lats engaged and avoid dominant upper-trap recruitment. Practical replacements maintain the same horizontal-pulling pattern and emphasize elbow-driven lat loading.

How to Choose the Right Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) Substitute

Select a substitute based on load control, grip position, unilateral demand, and available anchors. If you need lower stress on the shoulder, pick a neutral-grip ring/TRX row and pull with the elbow close to the body. For progressive overload without gym gear, use a backpack row and lengthen the lever arm or add tempo. Prioritize movements that allow full scapular retraction and long-lat tension; if you feel the traps instead of the lats, adjust torso angle or grip width. Also consider core demand, single-arm options increase anti-rotation requirements and better replicate unilateral stability.

Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel) FAQ

What muscles does Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel) work?

Primary work falls on the latissimus dorsi with secondary loading of the teres major, rhomboids, posterior deltoid, and biceps. Scapular stabilizers and core anti-rotation muscles engage to control torso position, cue: pull the elbow into the ribcage to maximize lat drive.

Can I build muscle without doing Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)?

Yes. You can build lats with progressive overload across alternatives, increase reps, shorten rest, elevate feet, or add slow eccentrics to bodyweight rows. Focus on maintaining scapular retraction and an elbow-driven pull so the lats, not the traps, take the load.

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