10 Best Incline Bench Pull Alternatives for Strength & Hypertrophy

The Incline Bench Pull is done lying face down with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Lying Cambered Barbell Row, the Bodyweight Mid Row and the Smith Machine Bent Over Row.

Incline Bench Pull

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

How to Do the Incline Bench Pull

The steps for the Incline Bench Pull itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Middle Back, with lats, shoulders · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie face down on an incline bench that is set to an incline that is approximately 30 degrees.
  2. Let the arms hang to your sides fully extended as they point to the floor.
  3. Turn the wrists until your hands have a pronated (palms down) grip.
  4. Now flare the elbows out. This will be your starting position.
  5. As you breathe out, start to pull the dumbbells up as if you are doing a reverse bench press. You will do this by bending at the elbows and bringing the upper arms up as you let the forearms hang. Continue this motion until the upper arms are at the same level as your back. Tip: The elbows will come out to the side and your upper arms and torso should make the letter "T" at the top of the movement. Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
  6. Slowly go back down to the starting position as you breathe in.
  7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Incline Bench Pull Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Incline Bench Pull 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. Lying Cambered Barbell Row

    1. Lying Cambered Barbell Row

    85% match

    Middle Back · Intermediate · Compound

    It still works the middle back, through a different movement.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Place a cambered bar underneath an exercise bench.
    2. Lie face down on the exercise bench and grab the bar using a palms down (pronated grip) that is wider than shoulder width. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you exhale row the bar up as you keep the elbows close to your body to either your chest, in order to target the upper mid back, or to your stomach if targeting the lats is your goal.
    4. After a second hold at the top, lower back down to the starting position slowly as you inhale.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: middle back, the same as the Incline Bench Pull
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Incline Bench Pull
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Bench Pull
  3. Smith Machine Bent Over Row

    3. Smith Machine Bent Over Row

    70% match

    Middle Back · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a machine to work with, and it still works the middle back.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Set the barbell attached to the smith machine to a height that is about 2 inches below your knees.
    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.
    3. Now grasp the barbell using an overhand (pronated) grip and unlock it from the smith machine rack. Then let it hang directly in front of you as your arms hang extended perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
    4. 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.
    5. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
    6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: middle back, the same as the Incline Bench Pull
    • Equipment: a machine, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, not lying face down
  4. Cambered Bar Lying RowPlay demonstration

    4. Cambered Bar Lying Row

    69% match

    Upper Back · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the upper back rather than the middle back.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Set up a barbell on the floor and lie face down on a bench with your chest just off the edge.
    2. Reach down and grab the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. With your legs straight and feet on the ground, lift the barbell off the floor by extending your arms.
    4. Pull the barbell towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, not middle back
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Incline Bench Pull
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Bench Pull

Incline Bench Pull FAQ

Can I build muscle without doing Incline Bench Pull?

Yes, you can build mid-back muscle with a mix of bent-over rows, chest-supported rows, single-arm dumbbell rows, and progressive loading on cables or machines. Prioritize full scapular retraction, consistent range of motion, and controlled eccentrics to stimulate hypertrophy without that specific exercise.

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