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Exercise library · Full body

Renegade row

Horizontal pull for the whole body with dumbbells.

How to do it

1 of 3

Plank with hands on the dumbbells

  1. Starting position

    Hold a plank with your hands on the dumbbells under your shoulders and your feet wider than your hips.

  2. The movement

    Pull one dumbbell toward the side of your stomach, lower it with control and switch arms without twisting your body.

Most common mistake

Don't twist your hips as you row, brace your stomach and press both feet firmly into the floor.

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Muscle group
Full body
Equipment
Dumbbells
Where
Home or gym
Logged as
Weight × reps

Muscles worked

The renegade row is a dumbbell row done in a plank. Your lats and the muscles between your shoulder blades pull the dumbbell up, helped by the back of your shoulder and your biceps. Meanwhile your other arm supports your upper body, so your chest and triceps work on the supporting side. Your trunk has the hardest job: as one hand lifts, your body wants to rotate, and your obliques resist it. Wider feet make it easier, narrower feet make it harder. Balance limits how heavy you can row, so the weight is usually lighter than in a normal dumbbell row.

Common mistakes

  • The supporting shoulder sinks. Push the floor away with your supporting hand and keep that arm straight, so the shoulder stays stacked over the wrist.
  • The dumbbells roll. Round dumbbells can roll away as you lean on them, and your wrist then bends. Use hexagonal dumbbells if you can, and grip the middle of the handle.
  • Yanking the dumbbell up. With too much weight, the row drags your whole body with it. Pick a weight you can row smoothly, and set the dumbbell down quietly before switching arms.

Variations and alternatives

  • The dumbbell row when you want to row heavier for your back, supported on a bench.
  • Plank shoulder taps train the same resistance to rotation without dumbbells, an easier step.
  • The man maker often builds renegade rows into a longer complex, for when you want the row in a conditioning workout.

Sets and reps

The renegade row is usually done for 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps per arm, alternating arms on every rep. Your trunk sets the weight, not your back, so end the set when your hips start to rock. If you want to build muscle in your back, add a heavier row in the same session. The guide to sets and reps covers how to pick sets and reps.

Make it harder in this order: bring your feet closer together, hold the dumbbell at the top for a second, and only then use heavier dumbbells. That is progressive overload with control before weight. If your wrists or lower back hurt, stop the exercise and have it looked at by a doctor or physiotherapist.

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