10 Best Incline Bench Pull Alternatives for Strength & Hypertrophy

If you can't perform the Incline Bench Pull, use exercises that reproduce the horizontal-pull angle and mid-back loading. Effective substitutes include bent-over rows, single-arm dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, inverted rows, and seated cable rows. Cue each rep to retract the scapula and drive the elbows toward the hips to activate the rhomboids and middle traps.

Original Exercise: Incline Bench Pull

Incline Bench Pull
Primary Muscle
Middle-back
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Lats, Shoulders
How to Perform Incline Bench Pull
  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.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Incline Bench Pull Alternatives

Best Match
Lying Cambered Barbell Row

1. Lying Cambered Barbell Row

85% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Bodyweight Mid Row

2. Bodyweight Mid Row

73.4% Match
Middle-back Other Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin by taking a medium to wide grip on a pull-up apparatus with your palms facing away from you. From a hanging position, tuck your knees to your chest, leaning back and getting your legs over your side of the pull-up apparatus. This will be your starting position.
  2. Beginning with your arms straight, flex the elbows and retract the shoulder blades to raise your body up until your legs contact the pull-up apparatus.
  3. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Smith Machine Bent Over Row

3. Smith Machine Bent Over Row

69.9% Match
Middle-back Machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Cambered Bar Lying Row

4. Cambered Bar Lying Row

69.2% Match
Upper-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Lying T-Bar Row

5. Lying T-Bar Row

69.1% Match
Middle-back Machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Load up the T-bar Row Machine with the desired weight and adjust the leg height so that your upper chest is at the top of the pad. Tip: In some machines all you can do is stand on the appropriate step that allows you to be at a height that has the upper chest at the top of the pad.
  2. Lay face down on the pad and grab the handles. You can either use a palms down, palms up, or palms in position depending on what part of your back you want to emphasize.
  3. Lift the bar off the rack and extend your arms in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  4. As you exhale slowly pull the weight up and squeeze your back at the top of the movement. Tip: Keep the upper arms as close to the torso as possible throughout the movement in order to better engage the back muscles. Also, do not lift your body off of the pad at any time and refrain from using the biceps to lift the weight.
  5. After a second contraction at the top of the movement, as you inhale, slowly go back down to the starting position.
Barbell Incline Row

6. Barbell Incline Row

68.7% Match
Upper-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  5. Pull the barbell towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

7. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

64.9% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a loaded barbell on the end of a bench. Standing on the bench behind the bar, take a medium, pronated grip. Stand with your hips back and chest up, maintaining a neutral spine. This will be your starting position.
  2. Row the bar to your torso by retracting the shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Use a controlled movement with no jerking.
  3. After a brief pause, slowly return the bar to the starting position, ensuring to go all the way down.
Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

8. Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

61.4% Match
Middle-back Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells 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.
  2. Grab both kettlebells and pull them to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row

9. Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row

60.9% Match
Middle-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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.
  2. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
T-Bar Row With Handle

10. T-Bar Row With Handle

60.9% Match
Middle-back 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 over the bar, and position a Double D row handle around the bar next to the collar. Using your hips and legs, rise to a standing position.
  3. Assume a wide stance with your hips back and your chest up. Your arms should be extended. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the weight to your upper abdomen by retracting the shoulder blades and flexing the elbows. Do not jerk the weight or cheat during the movement.
  5. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.

Why You Might Need a Incline Bench Pull Alternative

You may need an alternative due to shoulder pain, limited equipment, poor thoracic mobility, or program variety. For example, chest-supported rows reduce spinal shear when a heavy barbell row aggravates a low back injury; cue a neutral spine and scapular retraction to shift load to the mid-back. If you lack a bench or barbell, single-arm dumbbell rows or inverted rows let you maintain a horizontal pull while controlling torso angle and elbow path, preserving rhomboid and posterior delt activation without the same setup demands.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on equipment, injury status, and the movement pattern you need to preserve. If you want the same horizontal-pull vector, choose chest-supported rows or seated cable rows and cue a full scapular retraction and controlled eccentric to target mid-traps. For unilateral issues or asymmetries, pick single-arm dumbbell rows and keep the torso stable by bracing the core. If back strain is the limiter, use supported variations to remove lumbar load; if grip or biceps fatigue first, change to a neutral grip to bias the mid-back more and biceps less.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Incline Bench Pull work?

The Incline Bench Pull primarily targets the middle back, rhomboids, middle trapezius, and posterior deltoids, while also engaging the lats and biceps. Cue scapular retraction and pull the elbows back to emphasize mid-trap and rhomboid activation rather than arm-dominant movement.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Incline Bench Pull?

Inverted rows (body rows) are the best bodyweight substitute; set the bar at a height that lets you pull the chest to the bar while keeping the body straight. Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together and driving the elbows toward the ribcage to load the mid-back effectively.

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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