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BACK EXERCISES: SUPINE ROW

One back exercise of some utility, and one that I don’t see being done too often around the gym, is the tried-and-true supine row. It can go by a few names, including supine pull-ups, horizontal pull-ups, and so on.

EQUIPMENT and SETUP

This exercise is typically done by taking an adjustable bench and pulling it up to a Smith Rack, so that it runs parallel to the bar.

Adjust the height of the bar so that if you are hanging on to the bar with your body parallel to the floor (feet on the ground or the bench) your head and back are just above the ground.

Adjust the placement of the bench so that you can put your heels on the bench, with your back straight while hanging onto the Smith bar, and there is no danger of your feet sliding off.

I personally prefer to have my feet elevated off the ground by using the adjustable bench, but this is not a requirement to perform the exercise. You can have your body straight and your heels on the ground.

MOTION

With your arms fully extended and your body straight, pull yourself up to the Smith bar. Then lower yourself back down so that your arms are fully extended. This qualifies as one repetition.

VARIATIONS

If I were only able to do this exercise in one manner, I would opt for a wide overhand grip, with the backs of my hands facing me and my hands a little further than shoulder-width apart.

This exercise is subject to the same variations as chin-ups and pull-ups, however. You can have an underhand grip and vary the width of your grip.

You can also add resistance by placing weight plates on your abdomen for the exercise.

FURTHER INFORMATION

While a fairly simple exercise, its obscurity and a few moments of required setup mean that I usually only ever see it being done by the more serious people in the gym. I consider this exercise to be more of a “condiment” to my back workout than the “meat” in the sandwich, and thus I typically throw it in pretty late in the session if I use it. There is nothing to say that you can’t make a meal out of it, however.