10 Best Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row Alternatives for Home Gyms
What can you do instead of the Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row? Use single-arm dumbbell rows, inverted rows, or resistance-band rows to hit the lats while maintaining core anti-rotation carryover. Cue: brace your midline, drive the elbow down-and-back, and retract the scapula to maximize lat engagement and reduce shoulder shear.
Original Exercise: Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row
How to Perform Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row
- Start in a high plank position with your hands gripping the kettlebells and your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Pull one kettlebell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
- Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row Alternatives
1. Exercise Ball Alternating Arm Ups
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inwards and your arms extended down by your sides.
- Engage your core and slowly lift one arm up towards your shoulder, keeping your elbow slightly bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement with the other arm.
2. Alternating Renegade Row
85% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place two kettlebells on the floor about shoulder width apart. Position yourself on your toes and your hands as though you were doing a pushup, with the body straight and extended. Use the handles of the kettlebells to support your upper body. You may need to position your feet wide for support.
- Push one kettlebell into the floor and row the other kettlebell, retracting the shoulder blade of the working side as you flex the elbow, pulling it to your side.
- Then lower the kettlebell to the floor and begin the kettlebell in the opposite hand. Repeat for several reps.
3. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
81% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let your arms hang straight down towards the floor, with your elbows slightly bent.
- 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.
4. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row
79.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down towards the floor, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
5. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row
78.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a barbell with one hand using an overhand grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your head in a neutral position.
- Pull the barbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
6. Bent Over Barbell Row
77.6% 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.
7. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
77.6% 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.
8. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)
74.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
9. Alternating Kettlebell Row
74.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place two kettlebells in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and push your butt out as much as possible. As you bend over to get into the starting position grab both kettlebells by the handles.
- Pull one kettlebell off of the floor while holding on to the other kettlebell. Retract the shoulder blade of the working side, as you flex the elbow, drawing the kettlebell towards your stomach or rib cage.
- Lower the kettlebell in the working arm and repeat with your other arm.
10. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
73.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
Why You Might Need a Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row Alternative
You may need substitutes because of limited kettlebells, wrist or shoulder pain, or because you want to emphasize lat strength over anti-rotation core demand. The renegade row blends a plank with unilateral row mechanics, so it stresses scapular stabilization and oblique-driven anti-rotation. Swapping to a single-arm dumbbell row or chest-supported row preserves lat loading while removing plank-induced hip torque. Cue: keep hips square, maintain a neutral spine, and pull the elbow toward the hip to bias latissimus dorsi. Alternatives let you adjust grip, range of motion, and load to reduce joint stress while keeping high lat activation.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching the renegade row components you want to keep: horizontal pull, unilateral load, or anti-rotation core work. If equipment is limited, choose inverted (Australian) rows or band rows to preserve horizontal pull mechanics; cue: squeeze shoulder blades at the top. For wrist or shoulder issues use neutral-grip single-arm dumbbell rows or chest-supported rows to limit scapular shear. If you need core carryover, perform a single-arm plank row with lighter load and strict bracing to minimize hip drop. Prioritize movement quality, progressive overload, and full scapular retraction to maximize lat recruitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row work?
The kettlebell alternating renegade row primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and also recruits posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and middle traps during the pull. It places heavy demand on anti-rotation core muscles (obliques and transverse abdominis); cue: maintain a neutral spine and drive the elbow back while retracting the scapula.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row?
The inverted row (Australian pull-up) is the best pure bodyweight substitute because it preserves horizontal pulling and scapular retraction. Cue: keep your body rigid from head to heels, pull your chest to the bar, and consciously retract the shoulder blades to emphasize lat engagement.
Can I build muscle without doing Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row?
Yes — you can build back muscle with other progressive pulling variations like single-arm dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, lat pulldowns, and inverted rows. Focus on controlled eccentrics, full scapular retraction, and progressive overload to maximize hypertrophy and lat fiber recruitment.
More Exercise Alternatives
Find Alternatives for Any Exercise
Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.
Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →