The banded chainsaw row is a single-arm horizontal pull performed in a hinged, staggered stance against a band anchored in front of you, training thelatswith a short, hard pull to the hip. The name comes from the path: the hand rips back past the ribs the way you start a pull cord. Because the band gets heavier as it shortens, the top of the row is the hardest point rather than the bottom, and the free hand braced on the front thigh lets you fight the pull without loading the low back.
What Muscles Does the Banded Chainsaw Row Work?
- Primary: latissimus dorsi (lats), teres major
- Secondary: posterior deltoid (rear delt), rhomboids, biceps brachii
- Tertiary: obliques, erector spinae, gluteus maximus
How Do You Set Up for the Banded Chainsaw Row?
Anchor a band at hip height and face it. Hold the free end in your right hand and walk back until the band is taut with your arm straight. Stagger your feet, left foot forward, and hinge your hips back until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor. Rest your left forearm on your left thigh, flatten your back, and let the band pull your right shoulder forward.
How Do You Perform the Banded Chainsaw Row?
- Set the hinge, back flat, left forearm on the thigh, right arm long and the band taut.
- Pull your right shoulder blade back first, before the elbow bends at all.
- Rip the elbow past your ribs toward your right hip, keeping the upper arm close to your side.
- Finish with the hand beside the hip, band at its tightest, chest still square to the floor.
- Let the band draw the arm forward over two counts, allowing the shoulder blade to travel last.
- Return to the long-arm position with the band taut and the torso unchanged, ready to pull again.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Elbow to the hip pocket, not the armpit: the low finish is what keeps the lat pulling instead of the rear delt.
- Blade first, elbow second: start every rep by sliding the shoulder blade toward your spine.
- Push down through the braced forearm so the band cannot twist your ribs toward the anchor.
- Keep the working shoulder level with the other one for the whole rep.
- Feel the stretch across the lat at the front of each rep, then pull from there.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Standing too far from the anchor: the band is already near its limit, the top of the row stalls, and the pull turns into a lean back, so step in until you can finish at the hip.
- Letting the torso rotate open toward the ceiling: the obliques give up and the lat is replaced by a twist, so keep both shoulders level.
- Rounding the low back over the braced hand: the lumbar spine flexes while one side is pulled forward, so hinge from the hips and hold a flat back.
- Cutting the return short: the lat never reaches its stretched position, so let the arm travel all the way forward each rep.
- Pulling with a bent wrist: the forearm tires before the back does, so keep the knuckles in line with the wrist.
What Are the Best Banded Chainsaw Row Variations?
- Two-arm banded row: both hands on the band, which removes the anti-rotation demand for beginners.
- Split-stance banded row with no brace: the free hand off the thigh, so the torso holds position alone.
- Kneeling banded chainsaw row: one knee down, shortening the stance and fixing the hips in place.
- High-anchor banded row: band above shoulder height, angling the pull down and into the lower lat.
- Dumbbell chainsaw row: the same path with a dumbbell, loading the bottom of the row instead of the top.
How Do You Progress the Banded Chainsaw Row?
- Step back two inches, or move up one band, once you finish every rep at the hip.
- Work 12 to 15 reps per arm before changing the band or the distance.
- Add a set per arm, to 4, keeping the same band.
- Hold the finish for two counts, or take three counts on the return, when no thicker band is on hand.
How Should You Program the Banded Chainsaw Row?
Program the banded chainsaw row in the middle of a pull session, after pull-ups or heavy rows, or as a warm-up pull before them. Two to three times a week suits the light loading. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm with 45 to 60 seconds of rest, starting with the weaker side. Pair it with a band chest press so both sides of the shoulder get work.