Table of Contents
Cameron Allen
The kettlebell row is arguably one of the best kettlebell movements for building an aesthetic back as wide as the wings of Boeing 747. Implement these fantastic kettlebell row variations into your workout routine and watch yourself grow wings within weeks of training!
What is the Kettlebell Row?
The Kettlebell row is an extremely versatile and efficient exercise that builds your entire back. The kettlebell row has many variations that target the lats, traps, rear delts, and rhomboids very well.
Whatever your body type or fitness experience may be, you will find kettlebell row variations that suit you and help you build the V-taper of your dreams!
Proper form for Kettlebell Rows
All Kettlebell row variations should be implemented into your workout routine as they hit different parts of your back with different intensities. One thing that is common amongst all these various kettlebell rowing variations is the cues of ensuring proper form.
Kettlebell rows require you to hinge forward with the weights in your hands, you should try to bend over as much as comfortably possible, the more you bend, the more your lats are targeted.
When being a hinge-forward starting position, your lower back is prone to a slight bend, which can cause injuries or leave you with pain. To avoid this, it is recommended to brace your abs properly and also squeeze your glutes in the standing position.
This will force your lower back to remain neutral when you bend your torso forward. If you are unable to keep your back straight, you can also try using a belt.
7 Kettlebell Row Variations
The kettlebell row is an extremely versatile exercise, with lots of excellent variations available, you are sure to never get bored of this fantastic exercise! Below are 7 of the best row variations alongside the muscle groups they target.
Staggered Stance Bent Over Kettlebell Row
In a staggered stance position meaning one of your legs is in front of the other, hold a kettlebell in the hand opposite side of the front leg. Draw in the navel and brace your core, hinge from your hips, keep your spine neutral, opposite arm out to the side to aid in balance, and row the 1 arm driving through the elbow retracting the scapula.
Make sure to squeeze your lats and upper back at the top of the movement with a slight pause for added resistance. Perform for 10-12 reps for a few sets on each side.
Muscles Worked:
This compound exercise move is one of the best single kettlebell row variations, because of the staggered position, your core is also trained to an intense manner over time.
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Core muscles
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Upper back
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Biceps
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Lats
Summary of Exercise:
The staggered kettlebell row variation is definitely an exercise you should consider adding to your arsenal because of its added stability training benefits because of the staggered starting position.
Double Kettlebell Bent Over Row
Start in a standing position with a single kettlebell in each hand and bend forward by hinging through your hips. Make sure to keep your back straight during the entire movement to avoid any sort of injury. Try to find a comfortable starting position.
Then, start the movement by pulling the kettlebells toward your hips and allowing your elbows to bend as needed, and your shoulder blades to retract and contract throughout the movement. Squeeze the kettlebell upward toward your lats at the top of the movement with a short pause and slowly lower the weight and repeat.
10 to 12 reps for 2 to 3 sets should help you enjoy the benefits of one of the best pulling exercises for your back!
Muscles Worked:
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Biceps
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Upper back
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Lats
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Forearms
Summary of Exercise:
The double bent-over arm kettlebell row variation is one of the biggest staple movements for building your back. You should perform this movement on a priority basis if you want a turtle shell-like back!
Finding the best kettlebells for home workouts has never been easier. Make this year the year you increase muscle mass and your strength!
Kettlebell Plank Row on Bench
The kettlebell plank position row is basically a kettlebell renegade row, but you add a box or a bench to the equation. The cue to performing this rowing variation correctly is holding your body in a straight line from heel to shoulders without letting your hips drop like you would in a plank. With one hand on a bench or box brace your core and row the kettlebell back towards the hips or towards your side pocket.
Muscles Worked:
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Core muscles
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Rhomboids
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Lats
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Biceps
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Rear Delt
Summary of Exercise:
Overall the bench plank row is a great exercise for building the back especially if you do not have the mobility and flexibility for bending your back parallel to the ground. The added box allows you to perform a better variation of the renegade row.
Kettlebell Row To Cleans
The kettlebell clean row is an excellent movement that strengthens nearly the entire upper body. This movement is basically a regular bent-over single-arm kettlebell row, the only difference is that after each rep of rowing the kettlebell weight, you move the kettlebell straight into the racked position through a clean movement. You can make this exercise even more effective if you are short of time, by pressing the weight till complete elbow flexion.
If you want to make this exercise even harder, you either use heavier kettlebells or you can use two kettlebells. Doing all this will make sure you train your entire upper body through this one exercise, making it good for hypertrophy but for cardio as well, especially if you do not have a good amount of time on your hands for a whole workout routine.
Muscles Worked:
The ordinary variation of this which would be the single-arm kettlebell row clean would work almost your entire upper body including:
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Posterior chain
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upper back
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lats
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biceps
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core muscles
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Forearms
If you decide to add a pressing movement as well, you will be training your shoulder blades, as well as your triceps
Summary of Exercise:
All in all, this is an excellent full upper-body exercise that is guaranteed to have all your muscle groups burning within a few sets! 10 to 12 reps for 2 to 3 sets should help you enjoy the benefits of one of the best pulling exercises for your back!
Underhand Kettlebell Row
If your goal is to build a wider back, your focus should be on training your lats hard, especially your lower lats. Using an underhand grip is one of the best ways to target your lower lats. The underhand kettlebell row benefits your back greatly, especially if your grip strength is weak.
Perform this exercise just like you would do an ordinary bent-over kettlebell row, just with an underhand grip instead of an overhand grip. The rest is the same movement. Pull the weight towards your hip flexors and pause for a brief moment to squeeze your lats.
Performing this movement for 10 to 12 reps for 2 to 3 sets should help you enjoy the benefits of one of the best pulling exercises for your lats!
Muscles Worked:
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upper back
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lats
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biceps
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core muscles
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Forearms
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Posterior chain
Summary of Exercise:
Overall the underhand kettlebell row is an amazing exercise and is much better for training the lats in an isolated manner compared to the overhand grip kettlebell row.
Kettlebell Seesaw Row
Bracing your core, hinge your hip flexors to lean over so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle. Allow the weight to hang holding them from the kettlebell handle. Row the kettlebell in the right hand up to your side, twisting the body slightly, and follow the kettlebell by facing towards it.
Feel the contraction between your shoulder blades and also squeeze your lats at the top of the movement in a short pause. As you lower the kettlebell back down, row up the weight in the left hand, twist your body slightly, and allow your eyes to follow the kettlebell with the movement.
Muscles Worked:
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upper back
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lats
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biceps
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Oblique core and spinal stabilizers
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Forearms
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Posterior chain
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Rear delt
Summary of Exercise:
The seesaw row is one of the single-arm kettlebell row variations to build your back, implementing a few sets of these will definitely aid you in building a huge back, especially as you progress to heavier weights!
Finding the best kettlebells for home workouts has never been easier. Make this year the year you increase muscle mass and your strength!
Kettlebell Static Hand Switch Row
Start with the kettlebell on the floor, then stand over it with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width Bend your knees and allow yourself to hinge forward while keeping your back straight and your torso almost parallel to the floor. With one arm bent and to your side, reach down to grab the kettlebell using a neutral grip with your other hand.
Lift the kettlebell a few inches off the ground, starting in this position, lift slightly on the kettlebell in an explosive manner, then immediately release it in mid-air and draw one of your arms straight up to your side while your other arm shoots down to catch the kettlebell.
Repeat this movement by continuing to switch hands after each rep, and continue for your desired amount of reps and sets to gain all the benefits this exercise has to offer.
A good spot is 15-20 reps for a few sets, this exercise is great for getting your cardio in and therefore should be done in higher reps ranges with a light kettlebell. As this is an advanced movement you should perform this with low weight, if you are a beginner, it is recommended to first understand the movement by doing it with no weight or something very light like a water bottle.
Muscles Worked:
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Explosive Strength throughout the body
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Mind-muscle connection
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Upper body reaction time
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upper back
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lats
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biceps
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Oblique core muscles
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Core stabilizer muscles
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Rear delt
Summary of Exercise:
This exercise is definitely one of the best options you have to build some dangerous explosive power and speed. This movement allows you to get faster and stronger with minimal equipment. If you practice or compete in MMA or any other combat sport like boxing, then this exercise will definitely help you in punching, pushing and also better your reflexes.
So grab a kettlebell and start throwing it around, with good form of course :p This movement is sure to have your entire upper body gassed out within minutes, so whether your goal is to get your cardio in, punch harder, increase functional strength, or just build some muscle, this movement has you covered!
4 Common Mistakes of the Kettlebell Row
Mistakes are almost inevitable for beginners in any kind of resistance training, however, one should always strive to maintain proper form. Below are some common mistakes that people make during kettlebell row variations.
Elbows Going to High
Like with every exercise, there is only a limited range of motion from where you achieve muscular hypertrophy. There comes a point when you cause more harm than good when hyperextending your range of motion.
This also applies to the kettlebell row. Hyperextending your elbow joints, or bringing your elbow flexion above parallel to your lats has no benefit to the movement. It is recommended to row the weight just until your arms are parallel to the floor, this is where the lats are most engaged and well-trained.
Pulling to Your Chest
Another common mistake with the kettlebell row is that many often pull the kettlebell weight toward their chest muscles, what you should be doing is rowing the weight back and toward your hips. A good cue to follow is trying to bring the weight towards your side pocket.
When you pull the weight towards your chest, primary muscles in your lats lose tension and instead your rear delts and biceps are under the most tension.
Rounding Your Back
When performing any exercise with a decent amount of weight, the worst thing that you can do is have a rounded back. The lower back is prone to bending under pressure, if not dealt with if you have prolonged training sessions where you train with a rounded lower back, you are simply asking for an injury.
When bent, the lower body and back is in its weakest state, keeping it braced and in a straight line will allow you to avoid injury and any pain from breaking out during recovery.
To avoid this, it is recommended to brace your abs properly and also squeeze your glutes in the standing position. This will force your lower back to remain neutral when you bend your torso forward. If you are unable to keep your back straight, you can also try using a belt.
Pulling the Weight with Your Wrists
A pulling exercise becoming a grip exercise is more common than it seems. Often our grip strength fails us before our lats reach muscular failure. The reason for this is that the lats and forearms are significantly different-sized muscle groups. As the lats are bigger, they reach muscular failure over a longer period of time
When your grip fails you, form starts to deteriorate and you lose tension in your back. To avoid this you can either train your grip with exercises like the farmer’s walk, or you can use straps.
Which Row is the Most Effective?
If we talk about effectiveness, the double bent-over kettlebell row variation definitely takes the cake. The reason for this is that this movement has the most simple technique, targets all your major back muscles and muscle groups, and is also the most stable meaning you can safely go heavy on this movement, you should remember, nothing beats heavy-weight rows with good form!
All the variations of kettlebell rows listed above are excellent exercises that have their own strengths and weaknesses as well as being good for different purposes. Some movements are good for body building, some for strength, some for explosive power, and some for mobility and core strength. Whatever it is that you want to pursue as a fitness goal, the kettlebell row is definitely your best friend for achieving that goal!
Benefits of Kettlebell Rows
We all love the aesthetic of having great abs, a defined chest, huge shoulders, and shredded arms, however, one part we all neglect is the back. Our back is arguably more important than the front in terms of versatility and practicality.
Kettlebell rows are a great way to target all parts of the back including the upper back and traps, the lower back, and the lats to get that Dorito V shape. There are many options that are not only compound exercises but also isolation exercises in case you want to target a weak point.
Benefits other than building a huge back include a stronger posterior chain, increased full-body strength, and explosiveness. Moreover, if you regularly perform the perfect kettlebell row, you will find lots of muscle mass gained in minor muscles around your shoulder blades and traps.
Finding the best kettlebells for home workouts has never been easier. Make this year the year you increase muscle mass and your strength!
