PlanWorkouts

Exercise 3156 · REF v2DfH14

Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row exercise animation

Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Upper Back

A single-arm row done standing and bodyweight-only forces each side of the upper back to work independently, which tends to expose strength imbalances a two-arm row can hide. The close grip narrows the pulling angle toward the middle back rather than the lats specifically. Without a bar or dumbbell for resistance, how far back you lean from the anchor point is what controls the difficulty.

How to Do the Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
  2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Muscles Worked

The Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row primarily targets the Upper Back, with Biceps as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Forearms.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Upper Back Exercises

Back Lever Back Lever Body Weight · Upper Back Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band · Upper Back Band One Arm Twisting Seated Row Band One Arm Twisting Seated Row Band · Upper Back Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back Barbell Incline Row Barbell Incline Row Barbell · Upper Back Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same upper back with different equipment.

Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band One Arm Standing Low Row Band · Upper Back Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell Bent Over Row Barbell · Upper Back Cable Decline Seated Wide-Grip Row Cable Decline Seated Wide-Grip Row Cable · Upper Back Dumbbell Bent Over Row Dumbbell Bent Over Row Dumbbell · Upper Back

FAQ

What muscles does the Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row work?
The Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row primarily targets the upper back, with the biceps and forearms assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row?
The Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Bodyweight Standing Close-Grip One Arm Row?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Band One Arm Standing Low Row targets the same upper back using band instead.