The Renegade Row is a staple compound movement.

It targets the lats with a solid and basic rowing motion but hold on here because there’s more to consider.

The instability of the move shifts the challenge up the kinetic chain to your core.

If your core isn’t strong enough, you’re not going to be able to lift heavy weight, which limits your hypertrophy potential.

Plus, the floor cuts short the range of motion.

Unless you’re using your front delt to lift the dumbbell further, you’re missing out on that stretch reflex for max gains.

Despite the limitations of the entire movement sequence, the basic Renegade Row is still a great move for circuits or metabolic workouts.

It might not be my top choice for back hypertrophy, but it’s an effective exercise that deserves a spot in your routine.

With that said, let’s break down how to do the Renegade Row.

RENEGADE ROW: MUSCLES TARGETED

Understanding the muscles targeted during the Renegade Row is crucial for maximizing your results.

By establishing a strong mind-to-muscle connection, you can focus on engaging the right muscles from a strong baseline level, leading to better form, enhanced strength, and improved performance.

Let’s break down the key muscle groups involved in the Renegade Row exercise.

BACK

LATISSIMUS DORSI

The latissimus dorsi muscles are the heavy hitting larger muscles of your back, spanning a huge portion of your lower and mid-back.

Starting from your spine, these fan-shaped muscles attach to your upper arm bone (the humerus).

The lats give you that impressive “wing-like” appearance when flexed.

They also play a key role in several movements:

Shoulder Extension: This is bringing your arm down from a raised position or pushing it backward, like when you’re performing pull-ups or swimming.

Shoulder Adduction: You can compare this to flapping your arms like a bird. This brings your arm closer to your body.

Internal Rotation: This occurs when you turn your arms inward.

To effectively engage your lats, you can use the traditional Renegade Row.

For even more variety, consider Renegade Row variations like the Renegade Row Death Mark and Decline Renegade Row to enhance muscle activation and correct imbalances.

UPPER AND LOWER TRAPS

The trapezius muscles, or traps, are important for upper body functional strength and stability, especially in powerful exercises like the Dumbbell Plank Row.

The upper traps span from your neck to your shoulders and elevate your shoulder blades, which is essential for shoulder stability during upper body exercises like Shoulder Shrugs and overhead movements.

The lower traps run from the middle of your back to your lower spine, helping depress and retract the shoulder blades, maintaining proper alignment and spinal stability during Rows and Pull-Ups.

Building strength in both the upper and lower traps is vital for shoulder stability, preventing injury, and handling heavier weights with proper form.

During exercises like the Dumbbell Renegade Row, keeping your core tight and engaging the core muscles ensures proper position and maximizes muscle activation.

ROTATOR CUFF

The rotator cuff muscles are another muscle group that is engaged during the Renegade Row.

This exercise involves stabilizing the shoulder joint while performing the rowing motion, which requires the activation of the rotator cuff muscles.

These muscles—comprising the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—play a crucial role in maintaining shoulder stability and proper form throughout the movement.

During the Renegade Row, as you pull the dumbbell towards your body, the rotator cuff muscles work to keep the shoulder joint in place and prevent excessive movement, reducing the risk of injury and ensuring effective muscle engagement.

CORE MUSCLES

The rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis work to stabilize the body during the Renegade Row exercise.

RECTUS ABDOMINIS

The rectus abdominis, often referred to as the six-pack muscle, extends from your ribcage down to your pelvis.

The vertically running fibers of the rectus abdominis provide elite-level back and core strength and stability, ensuring you stay steady and strong throughout the exercise.

EXTERNAL OBLIQUES

The external obliques are made up of diagonal fibers that run from your ribcage down to your pelvis, and they’re key for rotation and stabilization.

When you’re hitting the standard Renegade Row, your external obliques frame your rectus abdominis, enhancing your six-pack and boosting overall core strength.

Engaging your external obliques correctly is crucial for maintaining proper form and preventing injury.

Keep your core tight and focus on stability—this is what separates good form from great form, ensuring you get the most out of every rep.

INTERNAL OBLIQUES

The internal obliques run opposite to the external obliques, from your ribcage to your hips, angling toward your midline.

The internal obliques are essential for core tension and stability during the Renegade Row. Engaging these muscles correctly prevents form errors and maximizes workout effectiveness.

Your internal obliques keep your core tight and your position strong.

TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS (CORE STABILIZER MUSCLES)

Think of transverse abdominis as your body’s natural weight belt, wrapping around your waist as one of the deepest core stabilizers.

To engage this muscle, draw in your abs or perform ab vacuums. This maintains core tension and stability during the Renegade Row.

SERRATUS

This often-overlooked muscle plays a crucial role in your core workouts.

The serratus anterior stabilizes your trunk by keeping the shoulder blades connected to the rib cage, which is necessary for maintaining a strong core during the Renegade Row.

HIP FLEXORS

When you’re hitting those Renegade Rows, don’t forget about your hip flexors—they’re key players in this exercise.

PSOAS

Let’s talk about the hip flexor muscles, specifically the psoas, and how they’re engaged during the Renegade Row.

The psoas muscle, running from your lower spine to your hip, plays a crucial role in this exercise.

When you’re in the plank exercise position for the Renegade Row, the psoas muscle is activated to maintain hip stability and alignment.

This muscle helps keep your hips from sagging or lifting, ensuring a strong and stable position from head to heels.

ARM MUSCLES

Your arm muscles also help by offering stability and support during Renegade Rows:

LATERAL HEAD OF TRICEPS

During Renegade Rows, the lateral heads of the triceps is essential for stabilization and control.

It helps stabilize the arm that stays on the ground, maintaining a solid push-up position.

When you row with one arm and return the dumbbell to the ground, the triceps extend the elbow, ensuring smooth and controlled movement.

 MEDIAL HEAD OF TRICEPS

The medial head of the triceps muscle is also helpful for stability and control.

It stabilizes the arm on the ground, ensuring a solid plank position.

When you row and return the dumbbell, the medial head assists in elbow extension for smooth and controlled movement.

LONG HEAD OF TRICEPS

This muscle helps stabilize your supporting arm, keeping you steady in the plank position.

As you row with the other arm and return the dumbbell, the long head assists in extending the elbow, ensuring controlled and fluid movement.

BICEPS BRACHII: SHORT HEAD

The biceps brachii flexes the elbow as you row the dumbbell towards your body, ensuring proper form.

Additionally, it helps stabilize the arm and shoulder, maintaining control and balance in the plank position.

BICEPS BRACHII: LONG HEAD

The long head of the biceps brachii assists in elbow flexion as you pull the dumbbell towards your body, allowing for smooth and controlled movement.

HOW TO DO THE RENEGADE ROW

Mastering the Renegade Row is going to lend itself to a fusion of strength and stability.

This exercise targets multiple muscle groups and requires proper form to maximize benefits and minimize injury risk.

Here’s how to perform the classic Renegade Row.

I’m also going to throw in a Renegade Row variation to help you get the most out of this exercise.

RENEGADE ROW

RENEGADE ROW DUMBBELL DEATH MARCH

RENEGADE ROW: COMMON MISTAKES

The Renegade Row is a powerful full-body exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, enhancing core stability and upper body strength.

However, improper execution can lead to ineffective workouts and a higher risk of injury.

Here are movement faults and common mistakes people make, how to avoid them, and correct form principles to get the most out of your Renegade Rows.

POOR STARTING POSITION

Starting with the wrong position is a common form issue that compromises the entire boundaries of exercise.

Ensure you begin in a solid plank position, with your body in a straight line from head to heels.

Hands should be shoulder-width apart on hexagonal dumbbells, and feet should also be shoulder-width apart to provide a stable base.

Continue to pay attention to poor body alignment and check your form between repetitions.

This initial setup is an essential movement for maintaining balance and excellent form.

HIPS INSTABILITY

Allowing your hips to rotate or sag is a common mistake people make.

This not only reduces the effectiveness of the exercise but also increases the risk of injury.

Keep your hips stable and level throughout this gym movement.

Engage your core muscles to maintain a tight and ideal pushup position.

INSUFFICIENT CORE ENGAGEMENT

Failing to keep your core tight leads to poor form, instability, and insufficient core strength.

The Renegade Row demands a strong core exercise to stabilize the body and prevent excessive movement.

Focus on engaging your core muscles, including the obliques and deep stabilization muscles, to maintain perfect form and avoid injury.

Keeping the core tight enhances the overall effectiveness of the exercise.

INCORRECT SHOULDER POSITION

Improper shoulder positioning can cause shoulder instability and strain.

Ensure your shoulder blades are pulled back and down, avoiding any shrugging or rounding forward.

Proper shoulder stability is critical for maintaining the correct position and preventing injury.

This engagement of the shoulder muscles, including the trapezius and deltoids, ensures proper alignment and muscle activation.

USING HEAVY ROW WEIGHTS

Starting with heavy weight can compromise your form and increase the risk of injury.

Begin with a light weight like a light weight kettlebell or body weight to master the form and movement before progressing to heavier loads.

Remember, proper form is more important than lifting heavy loads, especially in a challenging exercise like the Renegade Row.

Gradual progression in weight ensures safety and effectiveness.

LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION

Not utilizing a full range of motion limits the exercise’s effectiveness.

Ensure you row the dumbbell weights all the way to your hip, fully engaging the upper back muscles, including the lats and rhomboids.

A full range of motion maximizes muscle activation and development, providing the best results from your workout or exercise class.

This proper movement also helps in avoiding muscle imbalances.

POOR ALIGNMENT

Maintaining proper alignment from head to heels is crucial.

Avoid allowing your body to sag or pike, which can strain the entire spine and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

Keep your spine neutral, with your head in line with your body, to ensure proper alignment and minimize the risk of injury.

Correct body position is fundamental to performing the Renegade Row effectively.

 NEGLECTING UNILATERAL BALANCE

The Renegade Row is a unilateral exercise, meaning it works one side of the body at a time.

Neglecting to balance both sides can lead to muscle imbalances.

Ensure you perform an equal number of reps on each side to promote balanced muscle development and core stability.

Balanced training ensures comprehensive muscle engagement and prevents asymmetrical strength.

RUSHING THE MOVEMENT

Performing the exercise too quickly can compromise form and reduce effectiveness.

Focus on controlled, deliberate movements, rowing the dumbbell with proper form and fully engaging the targeted muscles.

Slow and controlled movements enhance muscle engagement and reduce the risk of injury.

Taking your time with each rep ensures you get the most out of the exercise.

IGNORING VARIATIONS AND PROGRESSIONS

Sticking to the traditional Renegade Row without incorporating variations or exercise progressions can limit your progress.

Explore your favorite Renegade Row variations, such as Kettlebell Renegade Rows, Feet-Elevated Renegade Rows, or One-Arm Renegade Rows, to challenge your muscles in new ways and continue making gains.

Incorporating exercise variations ensures you keep your contemporary workout routines dynamic and challenging.

When it comes to back building exercises, the truth is that there are better exercises out there.

But that doesn’t mean the Renegade Row shouldn’t have a place in your exercise day workout routine.

You can use it as a complementary exercise to bigger and better exercises like Barbell Rows and Weighted Pull-ups.

If you’re looking for a training program that covers every muscle in the body, we’ve got you covered.  Check out our ATHLEAN-X programs to see which is the best fit for your goals and fitness level.

RENEGADE ROWS FAQS