Body Row exercise – Mover.tips
The Body Row exercise is great for strengthening the back muscles. It serves as a preparation for the pull up.
Video demonstration
(excerpt from ‘Body rows’
by rawtraining)
How to and step by step instructions:
- Hold the bar with both hands, palms facing forward, a little more than shoulder-width distance.
- Move your feet forward under the bar, and straighten legs and core.
- Fully extend your arms, hanging in diagonal from the bar. This is the starting position.
- Bend your arms, bringing the chest close to the bar.
- Stay there a few seconds and extend the arms again, lowering yourself to the initial position.
Hints & tips:
- The more horizontal, the hardest is the move.
- Choose a higher bar for an easier variation.
- Put your feet closer to the bar for an easier variation.
Benefits:
- Works all muscles needed for the pull up.
- Strengthen back muscles.
- Very easy to adjust to your fitness level, by adjusting feet position.
Counting & gamification:
Muscles worked and body parts involved:
Primary muscles: Shoulder, Triceps, Upper Back
Secondary muscles: Forearms, Chest
Other names
The exercise can be found with other names. Examples are:
- Body Row
- Inverted Row
- Bodyweight Row
- Horizontal Pull Up
- Pronated Grip Body Row
- Body Row on Parallel Bar
- Australian Pull Up
- Pronated Australian Pull Up
Pull-up progression
See additional information regarding this progression
Body Rows progression
4. Elevated Feet Body Row
Grip Variations for Body Row
Other Pull Up Preparation exercises
Bent Leg Body Row on Table
Muscle: Shoulder
Finger L Sit Heel Support Floor L Sit Heel Supported Single Leg Raise Incline Bent Leg One Arm Body Row See 55 Shoulder exercises
Muscle: Triceps
Supported L Sit Scapula Shrugs 
Muscle: Upper back
Bent Leg Wide Grip Body Row Elevated Feet Mixed Grip Body Row Bent Leg One Arm Body Row 
Bent Leg Close Grip Body Row See 29 Upper back exercises
Collection: Body Row variantions
Incline Neutral Grip Body Row Bent Leg Mixed Grip Body Row Bent Leg Neutral Grip Body Row See the 27 exercises collection Body Row variantions
Category: Bodyweight
See 132 exercises for category Bodyweight