Every fitness enthusiast desires to perform bodyweight exercises as they give fast and effective results. Some people enjoy doing push-ups, while others keep themselves fit with inverted rows. Bodyweight rows, also known as inverted rows, are like doing an inverted push-up using your weight. Also, this exercise helps strengthen your muscles in the arms, back, and core.
Table of Contents
What is a bodyweight row or inverted row?
An Inverted Bodyweight Row is an alternative to a regular barbell row. This exercise is safer and more efficient than the latter. Traditionally using a barbell can not only cause an injury but is also less effective. On the other hand, this exercise helps strengthen your core and target all of the pull muscles. You can perform an inverted barbell row to target these muscles as well. Meanwhile, the bodyweight exercise does not require any heavy equipment as you only need your body weight. The only inverted row equipment required is a bar or rings that you can hold to lift your body.
How To Do An Inverted Bodyweight Row
Every exercise takes some time, patience, and effort when you start doing it for the first. You can follow these steps to perform this workout without pulling your muscles. Also, you can keep the bar high at first to get used to this exercise and then keep it lower. Following are the steps to get the inverted row muscles worked every time you perform the exercise:
- Keep the bar high at first to perform this exercise with ease. The higher the bar, the easier it is to do the workout.
- Lie down on the floor right under the bar and position it on top of your waist.
- Raise your arms and keep the hands slightly wider than the shoulders and hold the bar. Keep the palms facing away to make it easier to grip the bar.
- Keep the body streamlined and contracted to work your abs and hips. Also, make sure that all the body parts are in a straight line. This position is similar to a plank.
- Use your core to push yourself upwards until your chest can touch the bar.
- Slowly return to the original position and repeat the exercise.
How To Do TRX Inverted Rows
Inverted row exercise is an easy and effective way to build your muscles and strengthen the core. The inverted row TRX can help make your back muscles stronger by using your body weight. Even though this exercise seems easy to perform, the key is to keep your core engaged. Also, this exercise is an alternative to an inverted row workout if you do not feel comfortable lying down.
You can perform this exercise with the following steps:
- Suspend the TRX and adjust the straps according to the length of your arms.
- Hang under the straps and keep your grip tight on them.
- Keep your abs and core engaged and form a plank position.
- Grab the handles of the TRX and push yourself upwards in a plank position.
- Go back slowly and repeat these steps.
Types of Inverted Rows
Once you are comfortable with this workout, start doing it at different positions to increase your strength. You do not need expensive equipment to try the variations of inverted rows as you can perform them at home with ease. Following are some types of this workout that can help you master this exercise and get better.
1. Doorway Rows
As the name indicates, you can perform this workout in your doorway. Grab either side of the door with your hands and keep your body aligned. Push yourself forward using your ab muscles and return to the original position. The key is to keep your abs and core intact during this workout.
2. Inverted Row (High)
Lie down on the seat or the floor and hold the bar. Keep the bar high so you can perform the exercise with ease. Then, lift your body upwards using your hands and come back to the floor. You can do this workout with the bar high at first and move it down later.
3. Inverted Row (Low)
Once you are comfortable with the high inverted row, try doing it with the bar low. You can bring it down a few inches every day to build your strength. Also, it helps you challenge yourself and boost your stamina.
3. Inverted Barbell Row
If you have access to the gym or own the equipment, you can do a barbell inverted row. This exercise includes weights attached to the bar to make it more challenging. It is an effective exercise to increase stamina. Besides, it helps improve your muscular strength.
4. Weighted Inverted Row
Another variation is the weighted inverted row, where you can attach a weight to yourself to upgrade the exercise. Usually, people place a barbell on their abs to make it harder to lift themselves upwards. This exercise helps strengthen your core even more and builds the abs.
5. Elevated Inverted Row
You can challenge yourself even further with this exercise. Put your feet above the ground and perform the workout. In this way, you will invest more energy into pushing yourself upwards. Besides, it helps strengthen your legs as well.
6. Wide Grip Inverted Row
Hold the bar with your hands at double the distance to perform a wide grip inverted row. You can make it harder for yourself by increasing the space between your hands. Also, keep your shoulder blades contracted during this workout.
7. One Arm Inverted Row
The one-arm suspension trainer inverted row is the perfect exercise to build your arms muscles. It also engages your core and, you will exert more energy in this workout. Suspend yourself with the bar using one hand and lift yourself upwards.
What are the inverted row or Bodyweight Rows benefits?
There are several benefits of performing this exercise as it engages your whole body and trains all muscles. It is an alternative to planks where you strengthen your abs. Meanwhile, the inverted rows engage your hip muscles and make them stronger.
Following are some of the benefits of performing this workout:
- This workout improves your form without exerting much effort. Therefore, it is perfect for beginners who want to build the strength of their upper body.
- It is the best exercise to train your biceps and forearms. The workout engages your arms more than planks and push-ups and strengthens them.
- It targets the lower body, including your hips and your legs. Other traditional exercises fail to engage the hamstrings as much as this workout.
- This exercise improves your grip and strengthens the muscles of your hands. It is also beneficial for those who experience shaky hands.
Overall, this workout is beginner-friendly and can help you strengthen your muscles within a short span. Besides, you can try the other variations at first to build your strength.
