The renegade row is an effective exercise that combines strength and stability by targeting your core, back, and shoulders.
To perform it correctly, start in a plank position with dumbbells under your shoulders, engage your core, and row one arm at a time while keeping your hips square and body aligned.
Keep reading for a detailed step-by-step guide and tips on avoiding common mistakes.
Setting Up for Success: Equipment and Body Positioning
Getting the basics right is crucial for performing the renegade row safely and effectively.
The right equipment and body positioning ensure you maintain balance, engage the correct muscles, and avoid unnecessary strain.
Choosing the Right Dumbbells
The type of dumbbells you choose can make or break your form in the renegade row.
Hexagonal dumbbells are the best option because they provide stability due to their flat edges.
This prevents the dumbbells from rolling when you're shifting weight or lifting one arm.
Rounded dumbbells can easily move or slip, increasing the chance of losing balance and compromising your form.
Additionally, choose a weight that allows you to complete the movement with control while maintaining proper form.
If you're struggling to keep your body stable or are unable to perform a full range of motion, it’s best to reduce the weight.
Body Alignment in Plank Position
One of the most critical aspects of the renegade row is body alignment.
You should start in a plank position, with your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
Keeping a neutral spine is essential—this means avoiding any arching in your back or sagging in your hips, which can put stress on your lower back.
Imagine drawing a straight line from your head down through your neck, spine, and legs; this visualization will help you keep your body properly aligned.
Your gaze should be slightly forward, and your shoulders must stay directly over the dumbbells to prevent unnecessary strain on your wrists.
Feet Position for Stability
Foot placement plays a significant role in maintaining balance throughout the exercise.
Position your feet about shoulder-width apart, as this stance helps distribute your weight more evenly and provides better stability when rowing.
If you find that your hips are twisting or your balance is off, widen your stance slightly.
A wider base creates more support and minimizes the tendency for your body to rotate, allowing you to focus on engaging the correct muscles.
As you get more comfortable with the movement, you can narrow your stance to increase the challenge on your core.
Grip and Hand Placement
Your grip on the dumbbells and where you place your hands are equally important for maintaining control.
Hold the dumbbells directly under your shoulders with a firm, stable grip.
This position not only helps with balance but also ensures that your wrists are aligned with your arms, preventing unnecessary strain.
Avoid gripping too tightly, as this can cause tension in your forearms, which might fatigue early.
Instead, focus on a steady, controlled hold that allows you to smoothly transition between each row.
Proper grip and hand placement will also help in preventing wrist discomfort during the exercise.
Mastering Core Engagement and Alignment
Mastering your core engagement and body alignment is key to performing the renegade row with precision.
This exercise not only strengthens your back and shoulders but also acts as a powerful core workout.
By focusing on these foundational elements, you'll protect your body from injury and enhance the effectiveness of the movement.
Maintaining Neutral Spine
A neutral spine is the backbone (pun intended) of proper alignment during the renegade row.
Keeping your spine neutral means your back remains flat, avoiding any arching or sagging, which could strain your lower back and lead to injury.
When your spine is in a neutral position, it helps distribute the tension across the core, shoulders, and glutes, instead of overloading your lower back.
To maintain this alignment, imagine a straight line running from your head to your heels, and be mindful not to dip your hips or push them too high.
If you notice sagging, check your core engagement—it's likely a sign you need to tighten those muscles or adjust your weight to something more manageable.
Engaging Your Core
Core engagement is essential in preventing unwanted movement and keeping your body stable throughout the renegade row.
Bracing your core means tightening the muscles in your abdomen as if preparing to take a punch.
This tension stabilizes your spine and pelvis, ensuring that your body doesn’t wobble or rotate excessively when you lift one hand off the ground to row the dumbbell.
Think of it as locking your body into position.
Not only does this engagement protect your back, but it also allows you to transfer power more efficiently from your lower to upper body.
To maintain core engagement, focus on drawing your navel slightly toward your spine without holding your breath.
Breathing deeply and rhythmically can help you maintain this brace without fatiguing too quickly.
Full Body Tension
While the renegade row is core-intensive, it's important to understand that it’s a full-body exercise.
Engaging your glutes and quads as well as your core ensures you maintain overall body tension, which is crucial for stability.
Your glutes help keep your hips in line and prevent sagging, while your quads maintain tension in your legs, further reinforcing your plank position.
By activating these muscles, you create a strong base that allows your upper body to work efficiently during the row.
If you feel your lower body “relaxing” during the movement, remind yourself to squeeze your glutes and tighten your quads as if you’re trying to hold a static plank.
This creates a solid foundation, especially when lifting a dumbbell with one arm.
Avoiding Hip Rotation
One of the biggest challenges in the renegade row is avoiding hip rotation.
When you lift one arm off the ground, there’s a natural tendency for your hips to twist or shift to balance the movement.
However, the goal is to keep your hips square to the floor.
Any twisting or rotation compromises the exercise and shifts the focus away from your core, placing unnecessary strain on other areas of your body.
To avoid this, focus on keeping your hips steady by widening your stance if necessary and continuing to engage your core and glutes.
A helpful cue is to imagine your hips are a bowl of water—you want to keep the bowl steady without spilling any.
If you notice excessive twisting, it’s a sign that your weight might be too heavy, or your core engagement isn’t strong enough.
Lower the weight and practice the movement slowly until you can keep your hips stable throughout each row.
Step-by-Step Guide to Performing the Renegade Row
To get the most out of the renegade row, each step must be performed with precision and control.
This guide walks you through each phase of the movement, breaking down the key points to ensure proper form, stability, and muscle activation.
Shifting Your Weight
As you begin the row, you’ll need to slightly shift your weight to one side to maintain stability while lifting one arm off the ground.
The key here is to shift your weight just enough to stay balanced but not so much that your body tilts or your hips rotate.
Keep your core tight and engaged as you subtly adjust your body weight to one side.
Think of this movement as a small adjustment rather than a big shift.
The goal is to maintain as much stability in your torso as possible, minimizing any swaying or tipping.
If you feel your hips rotating or your body moving too much, consider widening your stance or reducing the weight.
Pulling the Dumbbell
Once your weight is properly shifted, focus on pulling the dumbbell up towards your hip in a controlled motion.
The row should be driven by your back muscles rather than your arm.
Bend your elbow and focus on squeezing your shoulder blade towards the center of your back as you lift the weight.
Avoid the common mistake of pulling the dumbbell too high or letting it swing—both actions can disrupt your form and reduce muscle engagement.
The movement should be smooth and deliberate, activating the muscles in your back, specifically the lats and rhomboids.
Keep the dumbbell close to your body and avoid flaring your elbow out to the side.
The pull should follow a straight path from the floor up towards your hip.
Focus on Shoulder Blades
One of the main objectives of the renegade row is to engage the muscles of your upper back, particularly your lats, rhomboids, and traps.
To do this effectively, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together as you row the dumbbell.
This ensures that the movement is activating the right muscles rather than over-relying on your arms or shoulders.
A helpful tip is to think of pulling your shoulder blade back towards the opposite hip—this visualization encourages the right kind of engagement.
If your shoulder blades aren’t moving during the row, it’s a sign that your upper back muscles aren’t fully activated.
Lowering the Weight with Control
After completing the row, it’s important to lower the dumbbell back to the ground in a controlled manner.
Don’t let gravity take over or drop the weight too quickly—this can lead to loss of form and reduced muscle activation.
Lowering the weight slowly engages the muscles throughout the entire range of motion, giving you more strength benefits and helping prevent injury.
Keeping control on the descent is just as important as during the lift itself, so maintain tension in your core and upper body to avoid wobbling or shifting.
This part of the exercise often gets overlooked, but it’s essential for maintaining overall stability and balance.
Alternating Arms
To complete the renegade row, you’ll alternate between each arm, performing a row on one side before switching to the other.
The transition between arms should be smooth and deliberate.
As you place one dumbbell back on the ground, shift your weight slightly and begin the row with the other arm.
The key is to move with control, avoiding any rapid or jerky transitions that could throw off your balance.
Maintain your focus on core engagement and keeping your hips level as you alternate sides.
Each row should feel just as stable as the last, with no excessive rocking or shifting between movements.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even with the best intentions, it's easy to fall into bad habits when performing the renegade row.
These common mistakes can not only reduce the effectiveness of the exercise but also increase the risk of injury.
Understanding why these errors happen and how to correct them will help you get the most out of the movement while staying safe.
Hip Rotation
One of the most frequent mistakes in the renegade row is allowing the hips to rotate as you lift the dumbbell.
Hip rotation occurs because your body naturally wants to shift weight and twist to compensate for the imbalance when one hand is off the ground.
This twisting, however, reduces the core engagement needed for stability and shifts the focus away from the targeted muscles.
To fix this, focus on keeping your hips square to the floor throughout the movement.
If you find this challenging, widen your foot stance, as a broader base offers more stability and reduces the likelihood of twisting.
Additionally, if your hips are rotating excessively, you may be using dumbbells that are too heavy.
Lowering the weight can help you maintain proper form while still building strength.
Sagging or Elevated Hips
Another common issue is letting your hips sag toward the floor or raising them too high during the exercise.
Sagging hips often indicate that your core isn’t engaged enough, leading to excessive strain on your lower back.
On the other hand, elevating your hips reduces the demand on your core, making the exercise less effective.
To avoid both mistakes, focus on maintaining a neutral spine by keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
If you notice your hips sagging, consciously engage your glutes and core to bring them back into alignment.
For elevated hips, think about pulling your belly button toward your spine and lowering your hips into the proper plank position.
Regularly checking your form in a mirror or asking for feedback from a workout partner can help you stay mindful of your hip position.
Incomplete Range of Motion (Half-reps)
Half-reps, or incomplete movements, often occur when fatigue sets in or when the dumbbells are too heavy.
In a half-rep, the dumbbell is only partially lifted, and you miss out on the full range of motion needed to engage the targeted muscles effectively.
This not only limits the benefits of the exercise but also reinforces poor habits.
To prevent half-reps, choose a weight that allows you to complete each row with control from start to finish.
Focus on pulling the dumbbell all the way toward your hip, squeezing your shoulder blade at the top, and then lowering it fully back to the ground.
If you feel fatigued halfway through your set, consider lowering the weight or reducing the number of reps to ensure you’re completing the movement correctly.
Loss of Core Engagement
The renegade row is as much a core workout as it is an upper-body exercise, but many people lose core engagement as they fatigue or become too focused on the rowing motion.
When your core isn’t properly engaged, your body is more likely to wobble or shift during the exercise, which compromises your stability and form.
To stay mindful of your core throughout the movement, think of it as your anchor.
Before each row, brace your core by tightening your abdominal muscles, and maintain this tension until the set is complete.
Breathing deeply and evenly can help you keep your core engaged without tensing up too much.
If you find yourself losing focus on your core, take a brief pause to reset your plank position and re-engage those muscles.
Renegade Row Variations for Increased Challenge
Once you’ve mastered the basic renegade row, there are several variations you can incorporate to increase the difficulty and further challenge your strength, stability, and coordination.
These variations not only add intensity but also engage different muscle groups and enhance overall body control. Let’s explore a few effective ways to take your renegade row to the next level.
Kettlebell Renegade Row
Switching out dumbbells for kettlebells significantly increases the challenge of the renegade row.
Kettlebells are less stable due to their uneven weight distribution and rounded bottoms, which forces you to engage more of your stabilizer muscles, particularly in your core and shoulders.
The grip challenge of holding the kettlebell’s handle also intensifies the exercise, adding to the overall difficulty.
When performing the kettlebell renegade row, you’ll need to focus even more on maintaining balance and preventing rotation, as the instability of the kettlebells can cause them to wobble or shift more than dumbbells.
This variation is excellent for improving grip strength and developing core stability, but it’s important to use slightly lighter kettlebells than you would with dumbbells to maintain proper form and control.
Renegade Row Push-up Combination
For a full-body workout that engages both your upper and lower body, consider adding push-ups to your renegade row.
This variation combines a standard push-up with the alternating rowing motion, incorporating additional muscles like the chest and triceps.
To perform this, you start in the regular renegade row position and lower yourself into a push-up.
Once you return to the plank position, complete one row on each side.
By adding the push-up, you engage a broader range of muscles, increasing the overall intensity of the workout.
This variation requires not only core and back strength but also endurance, as it challenges your upper body through the push-up motion and maintains core engagement during the rows.
The renegade row push-up combination is ideal for those looking for a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups in one movement.
Single Dumbbell Row with Plank Hold
If you’re looking to focus on unilateral core engagement, the single dumbbell row with a plank hold is an excellent alternative to the standard renegade row.
In this variation, you only use one dumbbell while the other hand stays on the ground to support your body in a plank position.
This one-sided movement creates an imbalance, forcing your core to work harder to stabilize your body and prevent rotation.
You’ll complete all reps on one side before switching to the other, giving your muscles a more intense focus on one side of the body at a time.
This exercise not only strengthens the back and core but also teaches you to engage each side of your body independently.
It’s a great option for building core endurance and improving unilateral strength, particularly in your obliques.
Renegade Row Program: How to Incorporate It Into Your Workout Routine
Incorporating the renegade row into your workout routine can elevate your strength, stability, and endurance.
Whether you're a beginner or an advanced lifter, the renegade row can be adapted to fit various training goals.
Here’s how you can effectively integrate this exercise into a balanced workout plan, adjust frequency and volume, and track your progress.
Creating a Balanced Workout Plan
The renegade row is a compound movement that works multiple muscle groups, so it pairs well with exercises that complement its focus on core stability, upper body strength, and full-body engagement.
To create a balanced workout plan, consider combining renegade rows with exercises that target similar muscle groups or enhance overall body stability.
- Planks: Renegade rows require a strong plank position, so incorporating regular planks helps improve your core stability and endurance, which will benefit your form and performance during the row.
- Deadlifts: Deadlifts target the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, making them a perfect complement to the back-focused renegade row.
- Push-ups: Pairing push-ups with renegade rows creates a push-pull balance in your workout, ensuring you're targeting both your chest and back muscles while also improving core strength.
- Lunges or Squats: These lower-body exercises can be included to create a full-body workout when combined with the upper-body focus of renegade rows.
By including these complementary exercises, you’ll create a well-rounded routine that maximizes strength, stability, and muscle balance.
Frequency and Volume
How often and how much you should do renegade rows depends on your overall fitness goals. Here are some general guidelines based on different objectives:
- For Strength Building: Aim to include renegade rows in your workout 2-3 times per week. Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps per side, focusing on heavier weights to challenge your upper body and core strength. Keep the movements controlled and prioritize proper form over speed.
- For Endurance and Core Stability: If your goal is to improve endurance and core stability, you can incorporate the renegade row more frequently—about 3-4 times per week. Use lighter weights and perform higher repetitions, such as 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side, while focusing on maintaining proper alignment and balance throughout the set.
- For a Full-Body Workout: You can include renegade rows as part of a circuit training session or full-body workout. Combine 2-3 sets of 10 reps per side with exercises targeting other areas of the body, such as squats, push-ups, and deadlifts. This approach will help you build overall strength while keeping the intensity high.
As with any exercise, listen to your body and adjust the frequency and volume if you experience fatigue or form breakdown.
Tracking Progress and Increasing Intensity
To continually make progress with renegade rows, it’s important to monitor your performance and look for ways to gradually increase the difficulty of the exercise.
Start by focusing on form, ensuring that you’re keeping your hips square, core engaged, and maintaining proper alignment throughout the movement.
Once you’re confident in your technique, you can track your progress and make adjustments as needed.
- Track Your Weight and Reps: Keep a record of the weight you’re using and how many reps you can perform with good form. Gradually increase the weight as your strength improves, but always ensure that you can complete the exercise without compromising your alignment or stability.
- Increase Time Under Tension: To increase intensity without adding weight, slow down the tempo of your rows. Take 3-4 seconds to lower the dumbbell back to the ground, which forces your muscles to work harder and helps improve control and stability.
- Add Variations: Once you’re comfortable with the standard renegade row, incorporate advanced variations such as the kettlebell renegade row or the renegade row push-up combination to challenge your muscles in new ways and avoid hitting a plateau.
- Evaluate Your Core Engagement: Periodically assess how well you’re engaging your core. If you notice your hips twisting or sagging less frequently, it’s a sign that your core stability is improving.
Conclusion
Incorporating the renegade row into your workout routine can significantly enhance your core strength, stability, and overall upper body development.
By focusing on proper form, avoiding common mistakes, and gradually increasing intensity, you’ll see steady progress.
Use the tips and variations provided to keep your training effective and challenging.
