Bodyweight Horizontal Row Exercise Video Progressions

The bodyweight row is one of my favourite exercises to assess ones puling strength and endurance as well as incorporate into their training program because of the little need for equipment and ability to regress and progress easily.

The reason I likes this exercise so much is that it requires oneself to pull their bodyweight against gravity and it provides a great bench mark for their capabilities of horizontal pulling and also provides insight into how one naturally looks to organise their body i.e. are they capable of creating trunk and lower limb stiffness when performing the horizontal row.

In the video below you will see osteopath Heath Williams of Principle Four Osteopathy demonstrate how one can go from not being able to perform a horizontal bodyweight row to performing one. In the short 60 second video you will see the following:

  1. Scapular setting (retraction and protraction) strength work
  2. Bodyweight rowing in positions where the effect of gravity is lessened due to the bar height so that one can perform volume based pulling work
  3. Change in short lever (bent knee) to long lever to increase ones challenge in the bodyweight row exercise
  4. Addition of a bench to maximise the effort one must pull their bodyweight against gravity.

In addition to this we also have other acute variables that one can adjust to challenge oneself. These include:

  • Tempo – faster or slower or a focus of slower eccentric or concentric pulling movement
  • Isometric holds to work on strength at a particular phase of the movement
  • Volume – sets & reps

Take a quick look at the video below to see how one can apply some of these strategies to your training to develop your bodyweight row.

This blog post was written by osteopath Heath Williams of Principle Four Osteopathy. Principle Four Osteopathy is located at 178 Collins St, Melbourne 3000. Appointments can be made by calling 0396709290 or booking online via our website.