10 Best Dumbbell Bent Over Row Alternatives for Back and Lat Strength

The Dumbbell Bent Over Row is done standing with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row, the Bent Over Barbell Row and Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows.

If your dumbbell rack is empty but a barbell is free, you do not have to wait for a matching pair to keep rowing. The Dumbbell Bent Over Row bends you forward at the hips and pulls a pair of dumbbells to your chest, and the Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row is the closest swap because it keeps that same forward hinge with both hands sharing one bar. With just a towel, the Bodyweight Standing Row (With Towel) trains the same pull at home.

Dumbbell Bent Over RowWatch the Dumbbell Bent Over Row

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

How to Do the Dumbbell Bent Over Row

The steps for the Dumbbell Bent Over Row itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

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

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let your arms hang straight down towards the floor, with your elbows slightly bent.
  4. Pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Bent Over Row Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Bent Over 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.

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

  1. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    1. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

    95% 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. 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
    • Movement: bent-over row, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row
  4. One-arm Long Bar Row

    4. One-arm Long Bar Row

    92% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want to work the lats one side at a time.

    • 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 Dumbbell Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Bent Over Row Alternative

A lifter reaches for a substitute when the dumbbells are gone, when only a barbell is free, or when one side pulls harder than the other and needs work on its own. The Dumbbell Bent Over Row asks for two matching dumbbells at once, which is exactly the setup a busy gym runs out of first. A barbell holds both hands on one grip and does not need a matching pair, so it picks up the same forward hinge without hunting for weight. A single dumbbell or kettlebell lets one arm work while the other rests, which suits a side that lags. With no weight in reach at all, a towel held in both hands still gives your lats something to pull against.

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Bent Over Row Substitute

If a barbell is free, the Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row and the Bent Over Barbell Row both keep the same forward hinge as the Dumbbell Bent Over Row with both hands on one bar, pulling it to your lower chest as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. To work one side at a time, the One-arm Long Bar Row uses a bar while the One-arm Dumbbell Row and the Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row use a single dumbbell, so pick whichever weight sits in your home gym. The Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row loads one arm at a time on the same bar. With no weight at all, the Bodyweight Standing Row (With Towel) pulls a held towel to your chest instead.

Dumbbell Bent Over Row FAQ

Which alternative uses a barbell instead of dumbbells?

The Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row, the Bent Over Barbell Row and the Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows all load one bar with both hands instead of a dumbbell in each hand. The Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows use a palms-up grip instead, with the bar hanging in front of you and lifted while your elbows stay close to your body.

Which swap works one arm at a time?

The One-arm Long Bar Row, the One-arm Dumbbell Row, the One-arm Kettlebell Row, the Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row and the Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row all pull one side while the other rests, so a weaker arm cannot hide behind a stronger one. Use them when one side of your back lags behind the other.

Is there a machine version of the Dumbbell Bent Over Row?

The Lever Bent-over Row With V-bar loads a fixed lever arm instead of a free dumbbell or barbell, which keeps the bar on a set path while you row. It suits a lifter who wants the same row, pulled to the midsection with the shoulder blades squeezed together, without balancing a free weight on the way up.

Can I do the Dumbbell Bent Over Row at home?

Yes, with a single dumbbell or a kettlebell. The One-arm Kettlebell Row and the Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row keep the same free-standing forward hinge and pull one side at a time, and the One-arm Dumbbell Row does the same braced on a flat bench, so a lighter weight still works each side. With no weight in the house, the Bodyweight Standing Row (With Towel) trains the same pull using just a towel.

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