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Rowing variations or exercises are a great way to develop massive traps, rhomboids, lats and other muscles of the back.
Although this exercise motion is an actual rowing motion, row variations can also be performed using a cable station or even certain machines with a barbell.
With rowing exercises and variations, you’re able to strengthen many muscles in the upper back.
Although we’re going to cover five specific ones here, all of them require activation from this muscle group. Rowing variations are the best back exercises for the simple fact you can do them anywhere and don’t require anything more than an ergometer.
Five Best Rowing Variations To Build Stronger Upper Back
Here's a look at five such exercises:
1) TRX Row
This TRX rowing variation weighs you down with your own body to provide resistance. It’s an extremely beneficial training tool that's widely used by many and allows you to use different rowing variations, like the one that places emphasis on building up your back muscles.
To do this exercise:
- Attach the TRX straps to the top of a door, a tree branch or some other high point.
- Hold the handles, and lean back so that you have to support yourself.
- Keep your chest up and shoulders squared off by engaging your core muscles.
- Pull yourself towards the handles by driving your elbows back behind you.
- Only use your hands to grip the handles, and remember to keep your arms straight.
- Slowly let yourself lean back to where you started and repeat.
2) Resistance Band Row
Rowing variations with resistance bands are a great way to work your back and upper body. They're great if you don't want to row with heavier weights at the gym. You can step on the bands for more resistance, or anchor them somewhere low like under a table, on a bench or near a machine.
Here's how you do it:
- Secure the resistance bands around your waist; bend forward at the hips, and keep your back straight.
- Make sure to bend your knees slightly and keep your arms close to your sides.
- Pull the bands back as far as you can by driving your elbows behind you, squeezing your back muscles.
- Slowly return to an extended position till you feel a stretch in your lats.
- Repeat.
3) Single Arm Dumbbell Bent-over Row
Single arm dumbbell rows a great variation if you can't get to the gym or if you only have dumbbells or kettlebells. You can use a neutral grip instead of a pronated or supinated grip, which allows for some variation. You can also pull even higher to get a more pronounced contraction in the muscles of your back.
To do this exercise:
- Put the dumbbell down on the floor, on a bench or on the rack to take it off from there.
- Use a neutral grip, and place the opposite knee of your working arm on a bench, or lean onto the rack with your non-working arm.
- Make sure you don’t block anyone else's path if there are other people at the gym.
- Bending forward at the hips, bend your knees.
- Keep your chest up and back straight.
4) Landmine Row
If you're looking for a great rowing variation, try the Landmine Row. They're super effective, and you can do many variations, using both arms at a time or only one arm per side.
Here's how you do this move:
- Stand next to the loaded barbell, and grab it with an overhand grip.
- Bend down and forward at the hips, placing your hands on the bar near where you're holding the weight.
- Pull up on the bar with straight arms, and squeeze your back muscles as you’d normally do with any row variation.
- Lower the bar back to your hip, and repeat.
5) Seated Cable Row
The seated cable row is a great exercise for beginners as well as experts. It allows you to get a really good stretch in the lats, and it can be set up for people with injured shoulders or backs.
Moreover, there're so many different handle options, which means you don't have to worry about finding a strength house that has a machine to do it with.
Here's how you do a seated cable row:
- Sit down with your knees bent, and grab the handles.
- To avoid slouching, keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
- If you scoot back and keep your knees slightly bent, you can lean back slightly, if needed.
- With your shoulder blades back and down, tighten your core muscles, and pull the weight toward you till it almost touches your chest.
- Reverse the motion, and repeat.
Takeaway
With the aforementioned upper back rowing variations, you’re well on your way to building a strong and healthy upper back.
Just mix things up by changing the order of the exercises from time to time. Add in a few others like the ones mentioned above, and always maintain the same good form that makes rowing so effective for building a great looking upper body.
