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

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.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Forearms
How to Perform Dumbbell Bent Over Row
  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.

Ranked Dumbbell Bent Over Row Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

1. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

95.4% 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

2. Bent Over Barbell Row

95.4% 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.
Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

3. Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

95.4% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
  2. 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.
  3. While keeping the torso stationary, lift the barbell as you breathe out, keeping the elbows close to the body and not doing any force with the forearm other than holding the weights. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
  4. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
One-Arm Long Bar Row

4. One-Arm Long Bar Row

92.4% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
One-Arm Dumbbell Row

5. One-Arm Dumbbell Row

92.2% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
One-Arm Kettlebell Row

6. One-Arm Kettlebell Row

92.2% Match
Lats Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a kettlebell in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and then push your butt out as much as possible as you bend over to get in the starting position. Grab the kettlebell and pull it to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blade and flexing the elbow. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

7. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

91.4% 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.
Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

8. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

87.9% 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.
Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

9. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

87.7% 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.
Lever Bent-over Row With V-bar

10. Lever Bent-over Row With V-bar

87.1% Match
Lats Lever Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself facing the machine.
  2. Grasp the v-bar with an overhand grip, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
  3. Pull the v-bar towards your abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release the weight back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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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