10 Best Shotgun Row Alternatives for Limited Equipment
If you can't perform the Shotgun Row, use single-arm dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, or lat pulldowns to target the lats and mid-back. Emphasize scapular retraction: pull your elbow straight back toward your hip while keeping the torso still. Keep a neutral spine and brace your core for force transfer.
Original Exercise: Shotgun Row
How to Perform Shotgun Row
- Attach a single handle to a low cable.
- After selecting the correct weight, stand a couple feet back with a wide-split stance. Your arm should be extended and your shoulder forward. This will be your starting position.
- Perform the movement by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. As you pull, supinate the wrist, turning the palm upward as you go.
- After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Pull
- Movement type: Compound
Best Shotgun Row Alternatives
1. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
87.3% 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.
2. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)
86.6% 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.
3. Cable One Arm Bent Over Row
85% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand facing a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Grasp the cable handle with one hand, palm facing inward, and extend your arm fully.
- Pull the cable handle towards your body, keeping your elbow close to your side, until your hand reaches your lower chest.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly extend your arm back to the starting position.
4. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row
84.7% 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.
5. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row
84% 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.
6. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row
83.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- 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.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
7. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)
80.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a towel in front of you with both hands.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release the tension and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Cable Thibaudeau Kayak Row
79.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a cable handle to a low pulley and sit facing the machine with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the handle with your right hand and extend your arm fully, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
- Lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight and your abs engaged.
- Pull the handle towards your torso by retracting your shoulder blade and bending your elbow, keeping your arm close to your body.
- Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
9. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
78.9% 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.
10. Bent Over Barbell Row
78.4% 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.
Why You Might Need a Shotgun Row Alternative
You might substitute the Shotgun Row for several reasons: lack of a cable station, shoulder pain with that pull angle, or a desire for greater loading options. Different substitutes change trunk angle and elbow path, altering lat vs. posterior deltoid emphasis. For example, chest-supported rows reduce lumbar shear and isolate the lats—pinch your shoulder blades before each rep to increase lat activation. Single-arm dumbbell rows allow a longer lat stretch through more scapular mobility. Lat pulldowns replicate the vertical pulling vector and are useful if you need a seated, lower-back-friendly option.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on equipment, desired muscle emphasis, and spinal tolerance. If you need unilateral work and core stability, choose single-arm dumbbell rows and drive the elbow back to the hip to maximize lat engagement. If low back stress is the concern, use chest-supported rows or machine rows and focus on scapular retraction and full concentric squeeze. For progressive loading in a commercial gym, choose T-bar or barbell rows if you want heavy compound overload, and cue a hinged hip and flat back to distribute force through the lats and erectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Shotgun Row work?
The Shotgun Row primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and the middle back (rhomboids and mid-traps), with secondary involvement from the posterior deltoid and biceps. During the pull, emphasize scapular retraction and driving the elbow rearward to maximize lat fiber recruitment.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Shotgun Row?
The inverted row is the best bodyweight substitute; set the bar at an incline and pull your chest to the bar while keeping the body rigid. Brace the core and lead the movement with your elbows to maintain lat-dominant activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Shotgun Row?
Yes. You can build back muscle using other compound pulls like single-arm dumbbell rows, barbell bent-over rows, and lat pulldowns that load the lats effectively. Focus on progressive overload, full range of motion, and cues such as pulling the elbow to the hip and squeezing the scapulae to ensure consistent muscle activation.
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