Suspended Row

A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back.

Suspended Row — Starting position Starting position
Suspended Row — End position End position
Difficulty Beginner
Type Strength
Equipment Not specified
Primary Muscle Upper Back
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Suspended Row

  1. Suspend your straps at around chest height. Take a handle in each hand and lean back. Keep your body erect and your head and chest up. Your arms should be fully extended. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin by flexing the elbow to initiate the movement. Protract your shoulder blades as you do so.
  3. At the completion of the motion pause, and then return to the starting position.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Suspended Row does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Suspended Row

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Bent Over Barbell Row

    Bent Over Barbell Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  2. 2 Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

    Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  3. 3 Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

    Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  4. 4 Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In

    Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  5. 5 Dumbbell Incline Row

    Dumbbell Incline Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  6. 6 Kneeling High Pulley Row

    Kneeling High Pulley Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  7. 7 Kneeling Single-Arm High Pulley Row

    Kneeling Single-Arm High Pulley Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  8. 8 Leverage Iso Row

    Leverage Iso Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  9. 9 Lying Cambered Barbell Row

    Lying Cambered Barbell Row

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  10. 10 One-Arm Dumbbell Row

    One-Arm Dumbbell Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do suspended row work?

Suspended Row primarily works the upper back. The biceps assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for suspended row?

The source dataset does not record equipment for suspended row. Check the instructions above before you set up.

Suspended Row: is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. Suspended Row is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.

What can I do instead of suspended row?

Bent Over Barbell Row, Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row, Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my suspended row reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; suspended row can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Suspended Row with AI

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