10 Best Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows Alternatives for Wrist Pain

If reverse-grip bent-over rows cause wrist, elbow, or low-back pain, use other horizontal and vertical pulls that still load the lats. Top options include single-arm dumbbell row, neutral-grip seated cable row, chin-up, pronated barbell row, and inverted row. Cue: hinge at the hips, keep scapula retracted, and lead with the elbow to load the lats.

Original Exercise: Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows

Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Lats, Shoulders
How to Perform Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
  1. Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
  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. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Best Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

1. Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

99.9% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down, and hands slightly wider than 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 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.
Bent Over Barbell Row

2. Bent Over Barbell Row

96% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

3. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

88.2% Match
Lats Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a barbell with one hand using an overhand grip.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your head in a neutral position.
  3. Pull the barbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

4. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

87.2% Match
Lats Body-weight Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
  4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Bent Over Row

5. Dumbbell Bent Over Row

85.9% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let your arms hang straight down towards the floor, with your elbows slightly bent.
  4. Pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
Bodyweight Standing Row

6. Bodyweight Standing Row

85.2% Match
Lats Body-weight Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
  3. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
Ez Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

7. Ez Bar Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

85% Match
Upper-back Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation
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.
Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

8. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

84.4% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a towel in front of you with both hands.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Rear Delt Row

9. Barbell Rear Delt Row

81% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold a 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 chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Barbell Bent Over Row

10. Barbell Bent Over Row

81% Match
Upper-back Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Bend forward at the hips while keeping your back straight and chest up.
  3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Pull the barbell towards your lower chest by retracting your shoulder blades and squeezing your back muscles.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

Why You Might Need a Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows Alternative

You may substitute reverse-grip bent-over rows for several reasons: wrist supination causes discomfort, biceps dominate the pull, or low-back fatigue from heavy hip hinge sets limits work capacity. Reverse grip shifts elbow orientation and increases biceps contribution; that changes force vectors on the lats and thoracic spine. Choosing a neutral-grip or unilateral option reduces pronation stress and lets you maintain a more vertical torso when needed. Technique cue: keep a braced neutral spine, avoid thoracic rounding, and drive the elbow toward the hip to emphasize lat length-tension and scapular retraction.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute by matching the movement plane, grip, and loading you need. For similar horizontal pull mechanics and reduced wrist strain, pick a neutral-grip seated cable row and pull to the lower ribs while squeezing the scapula. If you want unilateral correction and greater ROM, choose single-arm dumbbell rows and pull with the elbow close to the body. For max lat vertical tension pick chin-ups; use tempo and progressive loading to ensure overload. Technique cue: prioritize elbow-driven pulls and full scapular retraction to maximize lat activation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows work?

Reverse-grip bent-over rows primarily target the latissimus dorsi while also engaging the rhomboids, middle trapezius, posterior deltoids, and biceps brachii. The supinated grip increases biceps and forearm involvement, so you recruit more elbow flexor torque in addition to shoulder extension; cue: pull the elbow back toward the hip to bias lat activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows?

Chin-ups are the best bodyweight alternative because the supinated hand position loads the lats and biceps similar to the reverse-grip row. If chin-ups are too hard, use inverted rows (bodyweight horizontal pulls) with an underhand or neutral grip; cue: keep a rigid plank line and pull your chest to the bar, squeezing the scapula at the top.

Can I build muscle without doing Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows?

Yes. You can hypertrophy the lats and upper back with other rows, cable pulls, and weighted chin-ups as long as you use progressive overload and full range of motion. Focus on controlled eccentric tempo and strong scapular retraction—cue: lower the weight slowly and pause briefly with the shoulder blades pulled together to maximize mechanical tension.

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