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

Shotgun Row
Primary Muscle
Lats
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Middle Back
How to Perform Shotgun Row
  1. Attach a single handle to a low cable.
  2. 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.
  3. Perform the movement by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. As you pull, supinate the wrist, turning the palm upward as you go.
  4. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Shotgun Row Alternatives

Best Match
One-Arm Long Bar Row

1. One-Arm Long Bar Row

89.4% Match
Lats 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 next to the bar, and take a grip with one hand close to the collar. Using your hips and legs, rise to a standing position.
  3. Assume a bent-knee stance with your hips back and your chest up. Your arm should be extended. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the weight to your side by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. Do not jerk the weight or cheat during the movement.
  5. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
One-Arm Kettlebell Row

2. One-Arm Kettlebell Row

89.2% Match
Lats Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a kettlebell 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. Grab the kettlebell and pull it to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blade and flexing the elbow. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

3. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

87.3% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
  4. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

4. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (with Towel)

86.6% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Cable One Arm Bent Over Row

5. Cable One Arm Bent Over Row

85% Match
Upper-back Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Grasp the cable handle with one hand, palm facing inward, and extend your arm fully.
  4. Pull the cable handle towards your body, keeping your elbow close to your side, until your hand reaches your lower chest.
  5. Pause for a moment, then slowly extend your arm back to the starting position.
One-Arm Dumbbell Row

6. One-Arm Dumbbell Row

84.8% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Choose a flat bench and place a dumbbell on each side of it.
  2. Place the right leg on top of the end of the bench, bend your torso forward from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, and place your right hand on the other end of the bench for support.
  3. Use the left hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and hold the weight while keeping your lower back straight. The palm of the hand should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
  4. Pull the resistance straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side and keeping the torso stationary. Breathe out as you perform this step. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. Also, make sure that the force is performed with the back muscles and not the arms. Finally, the upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the dumbbell; therefore do not try to pull the dumbbell up using the forearms.
  5. Lower the resistance straight down to the starting position. Breathe in as you perform this step.
Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

7. Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

84.7% 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.
Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

8. Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row

84% Match
Lats Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Let the dumbbell hang straight down towards the floor, with your arm fully extended.
  4. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

9. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

83.9% Match
Lats Body-weight Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

10. Bodyweight Standing Row (with Towel)

80.9% 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.

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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