The body row is an excellent upper body exercise that can help you progress to full bodyweight pull-ups because it uses the same muscle groups.
| Primary Muscle | Biceps |
|---|---|
| Secondary Muscle(s) | Triceps, Back |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Also known as | Bar Row, Bodyweight Row, Australian Pull-up, Inverted Row, Horizontal Row |
| Optional | Rings, Pull-up Bar |
How to do body rows
- Grip a bar or rings that are suspended at around waist height, with the feet resting on the ground.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together and pull your chest up to the bar / rings.
Notes:
- Keep your body in a straight line.
- The exercise becomes more difficult as the body approaches horizontal.
- If necessary, beginners can bend their knees and use more of their heels to push up to the top of the exercise.
- If you don’t have a bar at the appropriate height, a set of height adjustable gymnastic rings can be a good substitute..
Body Row Guide
The body row is a pull-up progression exercise for beginners.
It uses the same muscles as a pull-up but is easier to do because you aren’t lifting your entire body weight and are supported by your feet.
Body Row Progressions
The body row is one of the final progression exercises when preparing for full bodyweight pull-ups.
As you gain strength in the body row, continue to lower the bar to make the exercise more difficult until you can do bodyweight pull-ups without assistance.