10 Best Suspended Row Alternatives for Limited Equipment
The Suspended Row is done hanging. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Inverted Row With Straps, the Bodyweight Standing Row and London Bridges. A harder version, the Muscle-up (On Vertical Bar), is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Suspended Row
- Primary muscle
- Lats
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Biceps, Shoulders
How to perform Suspended Row
- Set up a suspension trainer at an appropriate height.
- Stand facing the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the handles with an overhand grip, palms facing each other.
- Lean back, keeping your body straight and your heels on the ground.
- Pull your chest towards the handles, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Suspended Row Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Suspended 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.
Best match 1. Inverted Row With Straps
86% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
It uses the same equipment and still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Set up a suspension trainer or straps at chest height.
- Stand facing the anchor point and grab the handles with an overhand grip.
- Walk your feet forward, leaning back until your body is at an angle.
- Keep your body straight and engage your core.
- Pull your chest towards the handles, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: a suspension trainer, the same as the Suspended Row
- Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Row
2. Bodyweight Standing Row
82% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
- Slowly release and extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
3. London Bridges
81% match- Lats
- Other
- Intermediate
- Compound
A straight swap when you want to keep working the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Attach a climbing rope to a high beam or cross member. Below it, ensure that the smith machine bar is locked in place with the safeties and cannot move. Alternatively, a secure box could also be utilized.
- Stand on the bar, using the rope to balance yourself. This will be your starting position.
- Keeping your body straight, lean back and lower your body by slowly going hand over hand with the rope. Continue until you are perpendicular to the ground.
- Keeping your body straight, reverse the motion, going hand over hand back to the starting position.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: lying on your back, not hanging
4. Bent Over Barbell Row
81% match- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the lats.
How 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.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: free weights, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
5. Inverted Row
79% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Set up a bar at waist height or use a suspension trainer.
- Stand facing the bar or suspension trainer, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grab the bar or handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lean back, keeping your body straight and your heels on the ground.
- Pull your chest towards the bar or handles, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Beginner
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
- Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
Progression
7. Muscle-up (On Vertical Bar)
78% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Advanced
- Compound
Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Start by hanging from a vertical bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
- As you pull yourself up, lean back slightly and bring your elbows towards your sides.
- Continue pulling until your chest reaches the bar and your elbows are fully bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Row
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How 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.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How 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.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: free weights, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
10. Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
77% match- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
- 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.
- 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.
- Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Suspended Row
- Equipment: free weights, not a suspension trainer
- Body position: standing, not hanging
Why You Might Need a Suspended Row Alternative
You might substitute the Suspended Row for injury, lack of equipment, or programming diversity. Shoulder irritation, limited grip strength, or poor scapular control often require a different loading angle or stability demand. For rehab pick a supported variation (seated or machine row) to limit shear forces and emphasize scapular retraction. For progression choose unilateral rows to correct side-to-side strength asymmetry and increase time under tension. If you lack a suspension trainer, an inverted row or horizontal cable row preserves the horizontal pulling pattern and keeps the lats under tension while reducing compressive load through the spine.
Suspended Row FAQ
What muscles does Suspended Row work?
The Suspended Row primarily targets the latissimus dorsi through shoulder adduction and extension, plus the rhomboids and middle traps via scapular retraction. It also loads the posterior deltoids and biceps during elbow flexion while the core stabilizers maintain a rigid plank position.
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