10 Best Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female) Alternatives for Home and Gym
If you need an alternative to the Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female), choose exercises that emphasize scapular retraction and elbow-driven pulling. Try a single-arm supinated dumbbell row, barbell underhand (Yates) row, seated cable row with underhand grip, chest-supported dumbbell row, or inverted supinated row. Cue: lead with the elbow and squeeze the rhomboids at peak contraction.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female)
How to Perform Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female)
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing your body.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let your arms hang straight down, fully extended, with a slight bend in your elbows.
- 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.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female) Alternatives
1. Ez Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and hands shoulder-width apart.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up, until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
- Pull the ez barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the ez barbell back to the starting position.
2. Barbell Bent Over Row
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Bend forward at the hips while keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Pull the barbell towards your lower chest by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
3. Barbell Pendlay Row
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Pull the barbell towards your upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
4. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
85% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down, and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up, until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
- Pull the barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
5. Cable Standing Row (v-bar)
83% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the v-bar attachment with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the v-bar towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
6. Dumbbell Rear Delt Row_shoulder
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms straight down towards the floor, with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
7. Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward.
- Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
- Now grab the bar with both arms just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position.
- Pull the bar straight up with your elbows in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Use a stirrup or double handle cable attachment by hooking it under the end of the bar.
- Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones).
8. Bent Over Barbell Row
81% 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.
9. Barbell Rear Delt Row
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Pull the barbell towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
10. Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
80.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your torso), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward by bending at the waist; as you bend make sure to keep your back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side (as you breathe out), keeping the elbows close to the body (do not exert any force with the forearm other than holding the weights). On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
- Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female) Alternative
You may substitute this row for many reasons: shoulder pain with supination, lack of dumbbells, or a desire for more back isolation. For example, a chest-supported dumbbell row reduces lumbar shear by removing the hip hinge; keep the sternum on the pad and pull the elbow back to maximize middle trapezius activation. A seated cable row maintains continuous tension and controls range of motion, which helps you avoid biceps-dominant pulls when recovering from forearm or elbow issues.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your limitation and training goal. If you need the same supinated elbow position and biceps involvement, pick a single-arm supinated dumbbell row and cue scapular retraction before the pull. If spinal stability or heavier loading matters, use a Yates row with a slight torso angle and neutral spine to shift load to the lats and midback. For bodyweight progressions choose an inverted supinated row and keep the body rigid to engage the posterior chain and scapular stabilizers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female) work?
The exercise emphasizes the upper back: rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius, posterior deltoid and latissimus dorsi, with strong biceps involvement due to the supinated grip. Cue: retract the scapula and pull the elbow back to target the mid-trap and rhomboids.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female)?
An inverted supinated (underhand) bodyweight row closely matches the mechanics—use an underhand grip, keep the torso straight, and pull your chest to the bar or rings. Maintain scapular retraction and drive the elbow posteriorly to maximize rhomboid and mid-trap activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row (female)?
Yes. Use equivalent movement patterns that produce similar tension and range of motion—single-arm supinated rows or seated underhand cable rows will overload the same muscles when you progress load and volume. Focus on full scapular retraction, controlled eccentric phase, and progressive overload to stimulate hypertrophy.
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