Kettlebell Row

What you'll gain

• Builds lat and biceps size with a deep, unrestricted range of motion.

• Trains the horizontal pull pattern that balances out pressing work.

• Strengthens the lower back and core's role in holding the hinge under load.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell on the floor outside each foot.

2. 2

   Hinge at the hips with a flat back and grip both handles, letting the bells hang from straight arms.

3. 3

   Brace your core and pull both kettlebells up toward your lower ribs, leading with the elbows.

4. 4

   Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and keep the elbows tucked close to your sides.

5. 5

   Lower the bells slowly back toward the floor, fighting the descent for the full range.

6. 6

   Repeat for the full set without losing the hinge position or rocking the torso for momentum.

Common Mistakes

• Standing more upright as the set goes on, which turns the row into a shrug.

• Yanking the bells up with arm-only effort instead of pulling with the back.

• Letting the elbows flare wide, which shifts work off the lats and onto the rear shoulders.

• Rounding the lower back at the bottom, which loads the spine instead of the back muscles.

About This Exercise

The kettlebell row is a bent-over horizontal pull performed with a kettlebell in each hand. The lifter hinges forward, lets the bells hang from straight arms, and pulls them up to the ribs while keeping the torso braced and parallel to the floor. The neutral grip is friendlier on the wrists than a barbell row and lets the elbows tuck closer to the sides to better target the lats. This is a workhorse clip for any kettlebell library and a clean teaching piece for the row pattern. Ship it in pull-day kettlebell flows, home-gym programs, and beginner-to-intermediate back-building tracks where the goal is volume on the lats and biceps without a barbell setup.

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