How is this different from the alternating and single-arm kettlebell rows?

Both bells move together here, so the load stays even on both sides and you can usually row more total weight. The Alternating Kettlebell Bent-Over Row makes the trunk resist twisting as one bell rises at a time, and the Kettlebell Single-Arm Bent-Over Row works one side at a time with the other hand free to brace.

Is a kettlebell row better than a dumbbell row?

Neither is better; the pulling pattern is the same, so use whichever you have. The kettlebell's weight hangs below the handle rather than sitting in the palm, which some lifters find easier on the wrists, and the Dumbbell Bent-Over Row is an equal swap.

How far forward should I lean?

Lean far enough that the bells hang below your shoulders with your torso well inclined, somewhere between 45 degrees and nearly parallel to the floor, and keep that angle for the whole set. A more horizontal torso makes the row more of a straight pull for the back but asks more of the lower back, so lean only as far as you can hold a flat back.

Where should the kettlebells finish at the top?

Pull them toward your hips or lower ribs with the elbows close to your sides, which keeps the lats doing most of the work. Pulling toward the lower chest with the elbows wider shifts more effort to the upper back and rear shoulders.

What can I do if this row bothers my lower back?

Switch to a row that supports the torso, such as the Dumbbell Incline Row or the Barbell Inverted Row, or try the Kettlebell Gorilla Row, where one bell rests on the floor between reps. Come back to the unsupported two-bell row with lighter bells once your hinge feels solid.

Kettlebell Bent-Over Row

What Is the Kettlebell Bent-Over Row?

Kettlebell Bent-Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and also engages the rear shoulders, the biceps and the muscles that hold the hip hinge. It is an intermediate-level movement in which you hold a kettlebell in each hand, hinge forward from the hips and row both bells toward your hips at the same time, then lower them under control.

The main purpose is horizontal pulling strength and upper back size. Rowing balances the pressing work in most programs and builds the back muscles that keep the shoulders set and the upper back upright. Because both arms pull together, you can handle more total weight than in a one-arm row, which makes this a practical main row for anyone training with a pair of kettlebells at home or in a kettlebell class. It usually sits after the main lift of an upper-body or full-body session, often paired with a press or push-up.

The latissimus dorsi does most of the pulling, helped by the rhomboids, the middle trapezius, the teres major and the rear deltoids as the elbows travel back and the shoulder blades draw together. The neutral grip, palms facing each other, brings in the brachialis and brachioradialis along with the biceps. The lower back, glutes and hamstrings work without moving to hold the hinge for the whole set. Keeping the elbows close and pulling toward the hips favors the lats, while letting the elbows drift wider and pulling toward the lower chest shifts more of the work to the upper back and rear shoulders.

The two-bell version differs from its neighbors mainly in symmetry. In the Alternating Kettlebell Bent-Over Row one bell rises while the other hangs, so the trunk has to resist twisting, and the Kettlebell Single-Arm Bent-Over Row trains one side at a time and lets you brace with the free hand. Here the load is even on both sides, so twisting is less of an issue, but the lower back holds the full weight of both bells with no support. The Dumbbell Bent-Over Row and the Trap Bar Bent-Over Row use the same pattern with different equipment.

This row suits lifters who can already hold a flat-backed hip hinge with a load in their hands. If that position is not solid yet, build it with the Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift, and build rowing strength first with a supported option such as the Kettlebell Gorilla Row or the Dumbbell Incline Row.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Latissimus Dorsi: Primary
Deltoid: High
Rhomboid Major: High
Teres Major: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Biceps Brachii: Medium
Brachialis: Medium
Erector Spinae: Medium
Lower Trapezius: Medium
Biceps Femoris: Low
Brachioradialis: Low
Gluteus Maximus: Low

Instructions

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and a kettlebell on the floor beside each foot.
Hinge at the hips with a flat back, grip a bell in each hand with your palms facing each other, and stand up with them.
Soften your knees and push your hips back until your torso is well inclined, closer to parallel with the floor than upright, with the bells hanging straight below your shoulders near your knees.
Keep your back flat and your neck in line with your spine, eyes on the floor a short distance in front of your feet.
Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back, away from your ears.
Row both kettlebells at the same time, driving your elbows up and back close to your sides until the bells reach your hips and your elbows pass your torso.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together briefly at the top without lifting your torso.
Lower both bells under control until your arms are straight, keeping the same torso angle and knee bend.
Repeat for the desired reps, then bend your knees and hips to set the bells down with a flat back.

Common Mistakes

Rounding the lower back
Letting the lower back curve under the weight of both bells shifts the strain from the back muscles onto the spine, so keep the back flat and the core braced from the first rep to the last.
Standing up to row
Raising the torso on each pull turns the row into a swing and shrinks the work for the back, so hold the same forward lean throughout the set.
Shrugging toward the ears
Pulling the shoulders up instead of back moves the work into the upper trapezius and neck, so keep the shoulders down and drive the elbows back.
Curling the bells up
Bending the elbows first and pulling mainly with the arms lets the biceps take over, so treat the hands as hooks and lead with the elbows.
Dropping the bells on the way down
Letting the bells fall to the bottom tugs on the shoulders and lower back and skips the lowering half of the rep, so lower them under control until the arms are straight.
Craning the neck
Lifting the head to look ahead arches the neck out of line with the spine, so keep your eyes on the floor a short distance in front of your feet.

Injuries

Kettlebell Bent-Over Row is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The torso stays bent forward with both bells hanging from the shoulders for the whole set, so the lower back is the main area under strain. In a study of seven healthy men, a standing barbell bent-over row compressed the lower spine more than an inverted row or a one-arm cable row did. The risk climbs when the lower back rounds, when the torso jerks up to swing the bells, and when the set runs long enough for the hinge to sag. The shoulders and elbows can also get irritated when the bells are shrugged toward the ears or yanked up with the arms.

To stay safe, pick the bells up with a flat back as you would in a deadlift, brace before every rep, and keep the torso angle and knee bend fixed while the arms move. Choose a weight you can row without the torso rising, lower the bells under control, and end the set when your back starts to round or your hips start to rise. Set the bells down by bending the knees and hips rather than dropping them from a rounded position.

To regress, take some of the load off the lower back with a supported row such as the Kettlebell Gorilla Row, the Dumbbell Incline Row or the Barbell Inverted Row, or use the Kettlebell Single-Arm Bent-Over Row with the free hand braced. To progress, use heavier bells, pause for a second at the top of each rep, or slow the lowering phase.

Stop if you feel sharp or shooting pain in the lower back, pain that spreads into the leg, pinching at the front of the shoulder, or numbness or tingling in the arms or hands.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back
Equipment: Kettlebell
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Kettlebell Bent-Over Row

The Kettlebell Bent-Over Row is also known as:

Double Kettlebell Row
Double Kettlebell Bent-Over Row
Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is this different from the alternating and single-arm kettlebell rows?: Both bells move together here, so the load stays even on both sides and you can usually row more total weight. The Alternating Kettlebell Bent-Over Row makes the trunk resist twisting as one bell rises at a time, and the Kettlebell Single-Arm Bent-Over Row works one side at a time with the other hand free to brace.
Q: Is a kettlebell row better than a dumbbell row?: Neither is better; the pulling pattern is the same, so use whichever you have. The kettlebell's weight hangs below the handle rather than sitting in the palm, which some lifters find easier on the wrists, and the Dumbbell Bent-Over Row is an equal swap.
Q: How far forward should I lean?: Lean far enough that the bells hang below your shoulders with your torso well inclined, somewhere between 45 degrees and nearly parallel to the floor, and keep that angle for the whole set. A more horizontal torso makes the row more of a straight pull for the back but asks more of the lower back, so lean only as far as you can hold a flat back.
Q: Where should the kettlebells finish at the top?: Pull them toward your hips or lower ribs with the elbows close to your sides, which keeps the lats doing most of the work. Pulling toward the lower chest with the elbows wider shifts more effort to the upper back and rear shoulders.
Q: What can I do if this row bothers my lower back?: Switch to a row that supports the torso, such as the Dumbbell Incline Row or the Barbell Inverted Row, or try the Kettlebell Gorilla Row, where one bell rests on the floor between reps. Come back to the unsupported two-bell row with lighter bells once your hinge feels solid.