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Barbell row alternatives

Chest-supported, machine, cable and bench-supported dumbbell rows offer horizontal pulling with different torso support. A band row provides an anchored standing option.

The aim is back-training through a row. If holding the unsupported hip hinge is itself part of your goal, supported options remove that part of the exercise.

Two frames of an anatomical illustration of a barbell bent-over row, side by side on white. A male figure with the skin removed over the back is hinged at the hips with the knees bent and the torso folded to roughly forty-five degrees, holding a barbell with an overhand shoulder-width grip; the bar carries one large plate a side, marked 45. In the left frame the arms hang straight down and the bar is at about knee height. In the right frame the bar has been pulled up to the lower ribs and the elbows are drawn back past the ribcage. In both frames the highlighted muscles are shaded red across the whole upper and middle back — the trapezius, the rhomboids between the shoulder blades, the rear shoulder and the upper latissimus dorsi — while the arms, legs and lower back are left plain.
What equipment can you use?

Choose everything you have. Some exercises need two items, such as dumbbells and a flat bench. Choose floor space for options without equipment.

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  • Anatomical illustration of a man rowing two dumbbells while lying chest-down on an incline bench, with the upper and middle back highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Chest-supported row

    You need: Dumbbells + Adjustable bench with incline and upright settings

    Why it fits
    Keeps horizontal pulling while the chest rests on an incline bench.
    What changes
    The bench replaces the unsupported hip hinge and each hand lifts its own dumbbell. This changes torso demands and does not preserve the barbell row's position-holding task.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a seated cable row in two frames, side by side. In both, a muscle-anatomy figure sits on a flat bench facing a low pulley on a weight-stack tower, feet braced on the machine's footplate and knees slightly bent, holding a short straight bar with a narrow overhand grip. In the left frame the arms are straight out in front and the shoulders reach forward; in the right frame the bar has been drawn in to the midsection with the elbows back past the ribs and the shoulder blades pulled together. Red highlighting in both frames covers the back of the shoulder and the muscles across the upper and middle back either side of the spine, spreading down the outer back in the finish frame.

    Similar movement

    Seated cable row

    You need: Low cable row station with seat, footplate and handle

    Why it fits
    Keeps horizontal pulling using a low cable row station.
    What changes
    You sit with the feet braced instead of holding a standing hinge. The cable handle, line of pull and load differ from a free barbell.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a man performing a seated lever machine row, with the upper and middle back highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Machine row

    You need: Seated row machine

    Why it fits
    Keeps horizontal pulling using a seated machine lever.
    What changes
    The machine guides the path and may provide chest support. Adjust it to your reach and select a new load; the barbell weight does not predict the machine setting.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a bent-over row with a dumbbell in each hand, shown twice side by side on a white background. The figure is a muscle model seen from behind and slightly above, hinged at the hips with the torso close to parallel to the floor and the knees softly bent, bare feet flat, holding a plate-loaded dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip. In the left frame the arms hang straight down at the bottom of the rep; in the right frame both dumbbells have been pulled up to the sides of the ribcage with the elbows behind the body. Shaded red in both frames are the upper back muscles across both sides — the latissimus dorsi sweeping up the back, the trapezius and the muscles between the shoulder blades, and the rear of the shoulder — with a strip of the forearm coloured in the left frame. No bench appears; the lifter is standing.

    Similar movement

    Dumbbell row

    You need: Dumbbells + Flat bench

    Why it fits
    Keeps a free-weight row with one hand and knee supported on a flat bench.
    What changes
    One arm rows at a time and the bench helps support the torso. This changes symmetry and the unsupported hinge; plan separate reps for both sides.
    See exercise guide
  • Female anatomical model performing a standing band row in two frames, with the back muscles shaded red.

    Similar movement

    Band row

    You need: Resistance band + Secure chest-height band anchor

    Why it fits
    Keeps a pull toward the ribs using an anchored band.
    What changes
    You stand upright rather than maintain a bent-over barbell position. A secure chest-height anchor is required, and resistance changes with stretch.
    See exercise guide
See the original exercise guide

How we choose replacements

These are curated alternatives, chosen for the movement and the job the exercise does in a workout. A shared muscle group is not enough. Read what changes before choosing: support, range of motion, balance and resistance can all differ. If your goal is to improve a specific lift, alternatives do not replace practice of that lift.

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