Image credit: Will Heffernan
Barbell Rows are one of the best weight lifting exercises — when done correctly. The usual problems are tight hip muscles causing your lower back to round or too much hip extension, turning Barbell Rows into Deadlifts.
Inverted Rows are a variation of Barbell Rows that remove the above problems. They’re also one of the few strength training exercises that justify the existence of Smith Machines. Here’s how to do Inverted Rows.
Benefits of Inverted Rows. Inverted Rows – also known as Horizontal Pull-ups or Fatman Pull-ups – are an upper-body exercise. Benefits:
- Back Strength. Inverted Rows work your upper-back, lats & traps. They also work your biceps muscles and several small muscles in your back.
- Barbell Row Substitute. If your lower back keeps rounding, you can do Inverse Rows while improving hip mobility using dynamic stretches.
- Improved Posture. Slouching shoulders are often linked with flaring shoulder-blades. Inverted Rows can help realign your shoulder-blades.
How to Do Inverted Rows. Lie back on the floor inside your Squat Rack with the bar at arms length. Pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar.
- Pronated Grip. Same grip as for Pull-ups: palms facing away from your body. Grip the bar slightly narrower than on the Bench Press.
- Elbows Tucked. Not parallel to your torso. Keep your elbows close to your body, about 45° angle at your armpits.
- Lead with Your Chest. Not with your stomach or head. Keep your chin tucked, chest forward and shoulder-blades back & down.
- Touch Your Lower Chest. Same place the bar touches your chest on the Bench Press: your xyphoid process.
- Squeeze Your Shoulder-blades. Lead with your chest, keep your shoulder-blades back & down, tighten your upper-back at the top.
- Stay Tight. Straight line from shoulders to ankles. Keep your lower back & abs tight from start to finish.
Here’s a video of Joe DeFranco doing Feet Elevated Inverted Rows.
Inverted Rows Variations. Put your feet on the floor if you struggle with Feet Elevated Inverted Rows. Switch to bent knees if these are still hard.
- Bent Knees Inverted Rows. Knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Use your upper-body muscles as much as you can on the way up.
- Inverted Rows. Knees extended, feet on the floor. Elevate your feet on a box once these get easy.
- Feet Elevated Inverted Rows. Moves the center of gravity towards the bar, increasing difficulty. Body parallel with the floor at the bottom.
- Weighted Inverted Rows. Wear a rucksack filled with plates or Xvest or wrap chains around your body while doing Inverted Rows.
- Ring Inverted Rows. Harder to stabilize. Touch the Rings or Blast Straps handles with your chest on each rep. Feet elevated or on the floor.
Common Inverted Rows Mistakes. Make sure your arms are fully extended at the start of each rep and squeeze your shoulder-blades at the top.
- Elbows out. Increases the torque on your shoulder joint. Keep your elbows tucked: 45° angle to your body.
- Leading with Your Head. Increases risks of neck injuries. Lead with your chest while keeping your chin tucked.
- Letting Your Torso Sack. Bad for your lower back. Keep a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Strengthen your core with Prone Bridges.
- Not Touching the Bar. You lack strength. Switch to an easier version of the Inverted Row while you get stronger.
- Slouching Your Shoulders. Increases risks of shoulder injuries. Keep your shoulders back, shoulder-blades back & down, chest up.
If you’re a loyal reader, you’ve noticed I’ve given you a substitute for Squats, one for Deadlifts, and now one for Barbell Rows. Subscribe to see where I’m going with this (and get a free eBook).
Are these better overall than the Barbell row or is it only if you struggle with it?
You said “Improved Posture. Slouching shoulders are often linked with flaring shoulder-blades.”
I know my question seems a little stupid but what are flaring shoulder-blades? I’ve tried googling it but didn’t come up with anything.
Thanks for another great article Mehdi.
p.s. at the end you say you’ve provided substitutes for squats and deadlifts as well, where are those articles since I’ve only recently discovered your site?
If you wish to replace barbell row with this exercise or with lying row. Should you aim for 5×5(weighted or inclined for supine/inverted) like all the other exercises or increase the reps
Regards
Daniel
@Gee
I think these are a substitute if you are struggling, or want a change once in a while. I don’t see how you can substitute heavy rows with these, even weighted they would be a lot easier than a heavy row (from my experience anyway).
@Nomercy
Flaring shoulders blades are when you have a slouching posture so your shoulder blades ‘flare’ outwards and your shoulders/neck roll forward. Proper posture is shoulder blades back/tucked in and chest out (as you do when you lift weights). Don’t have the links handy but I know there was a recent article by Mehdi on variations of the DL and other exercises.
@Daniel
For me when I use this exercise (I’ve actually used it to sub high rep pull-up works in Crossfit since I suck at pull-ups) I find doing 5 reps with bodyweight (and elevated feet) easier than 5 reps of heavy rows, so I would think to challenge yourself you’d want to be adding weight quick and aiming for horizontal position right away. But the main idea from Mehdi’s article is focus on using the exercise to fix your posture issues so you can get back to doing heavy bent over rows.
I’ve just searched the site, but had no luck. What are the substitutes for squats and deadlifts?
Mehdi - the alternative exercises here (Squat - Rackpull - INV. Row) are a real help to me since I recently injured my lower back while executing a deadlift with improper form. I appreciate it very much. I am taking a week off and then continuing on with SL 5×5 Beginner I. I will deload again so that I may integrate this with my normal rehab. As I start what would be Week 13, I look forward to getting back to 100% and reaching my squat goal of 300lbs. Thanks again.
@ro
For the deadlift: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-rack-pulls-technique/
And I think for the squat: http://stronglifts.com/dumbbell-lunges-technique/
A good way to get an overview of the articles is to click on Sitemap at the bottom right hand corner. It lists them all.
What are peoples opinion on seat cable rows?
I read something by Erric Cressey a while a go which said they were good because conventional rows such as BOR and single arm DB rows are too easy to cheat on.
I am struggling with dynamic rows at the moment since it seems most of the lift is coming from my hips/hammies like in a deadlift and the momentum is bring it up to my chest. any tips?
How will be the progression of weights on this exercise?
I’m currently happy with doing barbell rows, but am struggling to do pullups. As these are even called “fatman pull ups” - would it help to crank out a few of these instead of regular pulls/chins?
@Ro/Nomercy
Box Squats & Rack Pulls.
@Robert
Seated cable rows are great if you do them right. Preventing cheating on Barbell Rows: lower the weight and focus on proper form.
@Hemram4u
Start with 2.5lbs, add 2.5lbs each session.
@Sifaan
You want to get good at pull-ups, do more pull-ups.
@Mehdi
I saw that one coming. LOL
Another excellent exercise that is new to me. Thank you very much - going to try this today at the gym!
Mehdi, I haven’t done this before, but wondering what difference it makes with weights on the bar? Bar is rested on the rack and we are moving towards the bar right?
@hemram4u
Weighted bar so the bar doesn’t move. You never know if you use too much momentum and the bar gets out of the uprights. Weighted bar (like 100kg loaded) won’t move, just safer.
One of my favorite exercises to do. I like to do them with gymnastics rings instead of the bar, but either way works!
-Justin