Ignite Your Core and Upper Body Gains with the Renegade Row

Many exercises train the back and core, and when you are lucky, an exercise comes along that trains both. Enter the renegade row, a combination of a Front plank with a single-arm dumbbell row. But it’s not for the faint of heart, and here’s why

Your core strength limits you because you row dumbbells in the front plank position. The lack of stability makes performing harder than a regular dumbbell row. So, be prepared to be humbled.

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When building a rock-solid core and upper body strength, the renegade row is hard to beat because this exercise combines the best of two worlds: a plank’s stability challenge and a dumbbell row’s pulling power. Whether you want to crush your next workout, enhance your athletic performance, or burn some unwanted fat, the renegade row deserves a spot in your routine.

Ready to ignite your core and upper body gains? Let’s break it down.

What is the Renegade Row?

Imagine holding a plank while pulling a dumbbell toward your torso, all while keeping your body rock solid and your hips level. At its core, the renegade row is a hybrid exercise that combines core stability with single-arm row. It forces your entire body to work together as a cohesive unit, making it a challenging full-body exercise.

How to Do The Renegade Row

1. Get on your hands and knees with a pair of hex dumbbells in each hand.

2. Step your feet back into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart,

3. Get your feet wider than hip-width apart for a stronger base.

4. Squeeze your glutes, engage your core, and row one dumbbell toward your same-side hip until the dumbbell touches your ribcage.

5. Lower the dumbbell back to the ground and repeat on the other side.

Renegade Row Muscles Trained

The renegade row is a full-body move that targets a wide range of muscles, making it a must-have in your training arsenal. Here’s a breakdown of the key players:

Lats (Latissimus Dorsi): The primary movers during the row, helping you build a strong back.

Rhomboids and Traps: These upper-back muscles stabilize your shoulder blades and assist the lats with the row.

Core: The transverse abdominis and obliques fire up to resist rotation and stabilize your torso.

Deltoids and Triceps: These muscles help stabilize and maintain the plank position.

Biceps: Assist the Lats and Rhomboids with the rowing movement.

Glutes and Hamstrings: These muscles help maintain a solid plank position and prevent lower back arching.

4 Common Mistakes and Fixes

The renegade row is challenging; even the best exercises can go sideways if done incorrectly. Watch out for these common mistakes and use these quick fixes to maintain great form.

Hip Rotation

Twisting your hips during the single-arm row shifts the focus away from the core strengthening benefits and reduces stability.

The Fix: Widen your stance to create a more stable base and actively brace your core to keep your hips level. Visualize balancing a glass of water on your lower back.

What’s The Hurry?

One of the biggest problems with challenging exercises like the renegade row is speeding through them to get them over and done with as soon as possible. When momentum takes over, say goodbye to muscle-building tension.

The Fix: Slow down, place the dumbbells on the floor, and not slam them there. Focus on controlled, deliberate reps to maximize tension and build strength.

Lower Back Overarching

Letting your lower back overarch compromises your core stability and puts unnecessary strain on your lower back.

The Fix: Squeeze your glutes and brace your core to maintain a straight line from head to heels. If you’re still struggling, reduce the weight or use another variation.

Rowing Too High

Pulling the dumbbell toward your armpit instead of your ribs shifts the load away from your lats and toward your rear delts.

The Fix: Aim for your lower ribs with each row by driving your elbow toward your hips to train the correct muscles.

Renegade Row Benefits

The renegade row is a full-body challenge focusing on core and back strength with a reduced weight. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it does have these benefits.

Enhanced Core Stability

This move is a masterclass in anti-rotation. Your core muscles—especially the obliques and transverse abdominis—work overtime to avoid rotation while you row. The result? A rock-solid core that supports better posture, balance, and athletic performance.

More Muscle Less Weight

Although you cannot load up with the renegade row as other back exercises, you’ll work more muscle. Rowing from the front plank position strengthens the core, hip, and shoulder stabilizers more than other dumbbell back variations.

Strengthens Imbalances

The renegade row is essentially a single-arm row performed in the push-up position, and that’s one of many reasons why it is challenging. You’ll correct and strengthen imbalances between sides while looking like the coolest person in the gym.

Improved Conditioning

Because of the full-body nature of the renegade row, your heart needs to work harder to get blood to your working muscles. This results in a raised heart rate and extended periods of tension, which improves muscular endurance and overall conditioning.

PROGRAMMING SUGGESTIONS

The renegade row is an excellent accessory exercise for when improving core and unilateral strength is the focus. Here’s how to incorporate it into your training.

Strength Triset

Add the renegade row to a full-body or upper-body strength circuit. Pair it with compound movements like squats or push-ups to create a great triset.

Example:

1A. renegade row: 8-10 reps per side

1B. Goblet Squat: 10-12 reps

1C. Dumbbell Bench Press Variation: 12-15 reps

Core Finisher

Use it as a finisher to challenge your core endurance after a heavy lifting session.

Example: Perform 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps per side, resting only as needed.