The underhand grip inverted row is a horizontal bodyweight pulling exercise performed hanging beneath a fixed bar, using a supinated (palms-up) grip instead of the standard overhand hold. The underhand grip shortens the biceps' working length and increases their contribution to the pull, while still heavily loading the lats, rhomboids, and rear deltoids. Because your own bodyweight is the resistance and your body angle sets the difficulty, it scales easily from a beginner-friendly steep angle to a near-horizontal, advanced version.
Muscles Targeted
- Primary: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, biceps brachii
- Secondary: Rear deltoids, middle trapezius
- Tertiary: Core stabilizers, forearm flexors
Starting Position
Set a barbell in a squat rack or on a Smith machine at a height roughly waist to hip level, or use suspension straps anchored overhead. Lie underneath and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width, underhand (supinated) grip, palms facing up. Walk your feet forward until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels, arms fully extended and heels on the floor. A steeper body angle (more upright) makes the row easier; a flatter, more horizontal position makes it harder.
Execution Steps
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to lock your body into a straight line before pulling
- Pull your chest up toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back along your sides
- Keep your body rigid throughout, avoiding any sagging at the hips or piking at the waist
- Pull until your chest nearly touches the bar, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement to maximize the contraction
- Lower yourself back down under control to a full arm extension before starting the next rep
Form Cues
- Keep a rigid plank: your body should move as one straight unit from shoulders to ankles, with no hip sag
- Drive elbows back, not out: pull your elbows down along your ribs rather than flaring them wide
- Lead with the chest: think about pulling your chest to the bar rather than just bending your arms
- Control the descent: lower yourself with the same control you used to pull up, rather than dropping
- Adjust the angle to your level: raise your feet or lower the bar to increase difficulty once bodyweight reps feel easy
Common Mistakes
- Letting the hips sag: A dropped midsection removes core tension and turns the row into an arm-only exercise. Keep glutes and abs braced throughout.
- Using a body angle that's too easy: Staying too upright removes enough bodyweight resistance to meaningfully challenge the back. Lower the bar or angle your body flatter as you get stronger.
- Not achieving full range of motion: Stopping short of full arm extension at the bottom or full chest contact at the top cuts the stimulus. Complete the full range each rep.
- Craning the neck forward: Jutting the chin toward the bar can strain the neck. Keep your head in a neutral position in line with your spine.
- Flaring the elbows wide: This shifts stress toward the shoulders and away from the lats and biceps. Keep elbows tracking closer to the torso.
Variations
- Overhand grip inverted row: Uses a pronated grip, shifting more emphasis onto the upper back and rear deltoids and less onto the biceps
- Feet-improved inverted row: Raising the feet on a bench increases the bodyweight load and overall difficulty
- Single-arm inverted row: Performed one arm at a time on a bar or ring, adding a significant core and stability challenge
- Ring inverted row: Using gymnastic rings instead of a fixed bar adds an instability component that increases muscle recruitment
Tips for Progression
- Lower the bar height or use a flatter body angle as bodyweight rows become easier, increasing the resistance
- Add reps up to 12-15 per set before progressing to a harder angle or single-arm work
- improve your feet on a bench to add difficulty without changing equipment
- Slow the tempo, particularly the lowering phase, to increase time under tension before progressing the angle
Training Notes
Program the underhand grip inverted row as a primary or secondary pulling movement on back or pull days, 1-2 times per week. It works well for 8-12 reps across 3-4 sets with 60-90 seconds of rest, and pairs naturally with pressing exercises in an upper-body push-pull session since it needs no additional equipment beyond a bar or straps.