10 Best Lever Bent Over Row Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Lever Bent Over Row is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the EZ Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over Row, the Kettlebell Two Arm Row and the Lever One Arm Bent Over Row. A harder version, the Barbell Pendlay Row, is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Lever Bent Over Row

Lever Bent Over RowPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Upper Back
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Biceps, Forearms

How to perform Lever Bent Over Row
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  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.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Lever Bent Over Row Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lever Bent Over Row on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Best match
    EZ Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    1. EZ Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

    96% match
    • Upper Back
    • Ez-barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have an EZ bar to work with, and it still works the upper back.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and hands 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 ez barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the ez barbell back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: bent-over row, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  2. Barbell Pendlay RowPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Barbell Pendlay Row

    99% match
    • Upper Back
    • Barbell
    • Advanced
    • Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the upper back.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
    3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Pull the barbell towards your upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: bent-over row, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  3. Kettlebell Two Arm RowPlay demonstration

    3. Kettlebell Two Arm Row

    95% match
    • Upper Back
    • Kettlebell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

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

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a kettlebell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Pull the kettlebells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebells back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  4. Lever One Arm Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    4. Lever One Arm Bent Over Row

    92% match
    • Upper Back
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Pick this when you want to work the upper back one side at a time.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a barbell with an overhand grip.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your head up.
    3. Let the barbell hang in front of you with your arms fully extended.
    4. Pull the barbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
    6. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: bent-over row, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  5. ElevatorPlay demonstration

    5. Elevator

    89% match
    • Upper Back
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the upper back with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
    2. Place your hands on your hips or cross them in front of your chest.
    3. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend forward at the waist, lowering your upper body towards the ground.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise your upper body back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  6. Kettlebell Alternating RowPlay demonstration

    6. Kettlebell Alternating Row

    88% match
    • Upper Back
    • Kettlebell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a kettlebell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Pull one kettlebell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
    5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  7. Dumbbell Reverse Grip RowPlay demonstration

    7. Dumbbell Reverse Grip Row

    86% match
    • Upper Back
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the upper back.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing your body.
    3. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    4. Let your arms hang straight down, fully extended, with a slight bend in your elbows.
    5. Pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  8. Smith Bent Over RowPlay demonstration

    8. Smith Bent Over Row

    86% match
    • Upper Back
    • Smith-machine
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up the smith machine with the bar at hip height.
    2. Stand facing the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    3. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
    4. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    5. Pull the bar towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: bent-over row, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: a machine, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Lever Bent Over Row
  9. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

    9. Straight Bar Bench Mid Rows

    85% match
    • Middle Back
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: middle back, not upper back
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
  10. Lever Reverse T-Bar RowPlay demonstration

    10. Lever Reverse T-Bar Row

    84% match
    • Upper Back
    • Lever
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Adjust the seat height and footplate position on the leverage machine.
    2. Sit on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the footplate.
    3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
    5. Pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and extend your arms back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Equipment: a machine, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Lever Bent Over Row
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Lever Bent Over Row

Why You Might Need a Lever Bent Over Row Alternative

You may substitute the Lever Bent Over Row because of low-back pain, lack of a specific barbell setup, or to correct movement imbalances. The bent-over position increases lumbar shear if technique or core strength is lacking; chest-supported or seated variations remove spinal loading and isolate scapular retraction. Unilateral options like the single-arm DB row address side-to-side strength gaps and improve lat recruitment. Choose alternatives that preserve the same movement pattern, hip-hinge or elbow-driven horizontal pull, so you maintain posterior chain and upper-back activation without compromising safety.

Lever Bent Over Row FAQ

What muscles does Lever Bent Over Row work?

The Lever Bent Over Row targets the upper back, lats, rhomboids, middle traps, and posterior deltoids while also taxing the erector spinae isometrically for spinal support. Proper execution relies on a hip hinge and elbow-driven horizontal pulling to emphasize scapular retraction and lat length-tension.

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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology