Renegade Row: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The renegade row combines a plank with a one arm row, so your middle back and lats pull the weight up while your abdominals fight to keep your hips square and stable. Your chest, biceps, and triceps all support your body weight through the plank position on the working side.
- Primary muscle:
- Middle back
- Secondary muscles:
- Abdominals, Biceps, Chest, Lats, Triceps
Muscles worked
Your middle back and lats do the pulling work in the renegade row, rowing the kettlebell up toward your ribs on each rep. Your biceps bend your elbow to assist the row, while your triceps and chest support your body weight on the arm that stays planted on the floor.
Your abdominals work the hardest to resist rotation, keeping your hips square to the floor instead of twisting as you shift your weight to row with one arm at a time.
Log Renegade Row in PR Streak
PR Streak's library has 873 exercises, each with photos and step-by-step instructions like this one. Log this move and see what you lifted last time right next to every set, with every PR caught automatically and a chart for every exercise.
How to do it
- Place two kettlebells on the floor about shoulder width apart. Position yourself on your toes and your hands as though you were doing a pushup, with the body straight and extended. Use the handles of the kettlebells to support your upper body. You may need to position your feet wide for support.
- Push one kettlebell into the floor and row the other kettlebell, retracting the shoulder blade of the working side as you flex the elbow, pulling it to your side.
- Then lower the kettlebell to the floor and begin the kettlebell in the opposite hand. Repeat for several reps.
Form tips
- Set your feet wide for a stable base before you start rowing.
- Keep your hips level and resist the urge to rotate toward the rowing arm.
- Row the kettlebell straight up toward your ribs, not out to the side.
- Start with lighter kettlebells until your plank position stays solid through every rep.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Kettlebell |
|---|---|
| Level | Expert |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the renegade row a core exercise or a back exercise?
Both. Your middle back and lats do the actual rowing, but your abdominals work just as hard to keep your hips from rotating while you shift your weight to one arm. It's an efficient way to train your back and core together.
What makes the renegade row an expert level exercise?
Balancing on one hand and one kettlebell while rowing with the other demands solid plank strength first. Master a regular plank and a standard row before adding the instability of the renegade row.
More middle back exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
