Exercise – Inverted Rows
The Inverted Row is a simple exercise to develop foundational pulling strength and a strong upper torso for better posture. It can be practiced with a broomstick between two chairs, under a table, or on an access rail like this video. Rows are a horizontal pulling exercise that can help you work towards the pull-up although the two are a bit different. Rows engage more of the rhomboids and traps whereas the pull-up is much more lat-focused.
One of the reasons the Inverted Row is a foundational exercise is that it focuses on scapular retraction when performed correctly. This helps to stabilize your shoulders and helps with the scapular-recruitment that the dead hang position of a pull-up requires. Inverted Rows alone won’t help you achieve the pull-up!
Grab the bar and walk your feet forward so that your body is at an incline. The closer you get your body to parallel, the harder this exercise will be. Hang from the bar with your body in a hollow position – you don’t want to arch here! As you engage your legs and torso, pull your chest towards the bar while maintaining that hollow position. Elbows should be driving down and back. Lower back down and repeat.
If you’re looking for a challenge, try one of the following:
- Elevate the feet on an object to shift more weight onto your hands
- Mix up your grip – there’s close, wide, or even underhand (Pronated)
- Try one-armed variations – you may need to use bent-knee progressions to scale up