Is the kettlebell version harder than the dumbbell renegade row?

Yes. The kettlebell handle sits higher and the bell rests on a small round base, so it tips whenever you press off-center, while a hex dumbbell sits flat on six sides. Learn the Dumbbell Renegade Row first and expect to use a lighter weight when you switch to kettlebells.

Can I do a renegade row with one kettlebell?

Yes. Keep one hand flat on the floor and row the single kettlebell with the other arm, then switch sides. It removes the wobbly support bell, which makes it a good way to learn the pattern before using two.

How heavy should the kettlebells be?

Noticeably lighter than you would use for a supported single-arm row. Choose a size that lets you keep your hips square and the support bell still for every rep, and move up only when you can finish your target reps that way.

Is a push-up part of the renegade row?

Not in the standard version. Some coaches add a push-up on the handles after each pair of rows, which makes the set harder and adds chest and triceps work, but it also puts more load through the wrists on an already unstable base.

How wide should my feet be?

Start with your feet wider than hip-width, since a wider base makes it much easier to keep your hips from twisting. Bring them closer together gradually as the movement gets easier.

Kettlebell Renegade Row

What Is the Kettlebell Renegade Row?

Kettlebell Renegade Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and core, and also engages the shoulders, biceps and serratus anterior. It is an advanced-level movement that combines a single-arm row with a high plank held on the handles of two kettlebells resting on the floor.

Every rep takes one hand off the floor and leaves you balanced on three points, so your trunk has to stop your hips from twisting toward the open side and your lower back from sagging while the other arm pulls. That makes it anti-rotation core training first and upper-back training second. Most coaches program it as core or accessory work in a circuit or at the end of a session rather than as a main back builder, because the plank caps how heavy the row can be.

The movement is the same as the Dumbbell Renegade Row, but the kettlebells make the support side harder. The handle sits higher off the floor and the bell rests on a small round base, so it tips as soon as you press anywhere but straight down through the middle of the handle. Flat-sided hex dumbbells give a much steadier platform, which is why the dumbbell version is the usual place to learn the pattern. Stance width is the other big lever: wide feet make it easier to keep the hips square, and bringing them closer together makes every rep harder.

It suits lifters who can already hold a solid Plank and do a strict single-arm row, and who want core and upper-back work that carries over to keeping the trunk still under load. If the support bell wobbles or your hips swing, build up with the Plank Shoulder Tap and the dumbbell version first. For building back size, a supported row such as the Kettlebell Single-Arm Bent-Over Row lets you use far more weight.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

External Oblique: Primary
Latissimus Dorsi: Primary
Rectus Abdominis: High
Rhomboid Major: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Biceps Brachii: Medium
Deltoid: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Teres Major: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Low

Instructions

Set two kettlebells of the same size on a flat, firm floor about shoulder-width apart, with the handles running front to back.
Grip a handle in each hand with your palms facing each other and walk your feet back into a high plank, arms straight and hands stacked under your shoulders.
Set your feet wider than hip-width with your legs straight, so your body forms a line from head to heels.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes, keeping your wrists straight and pressing straight down through the center of each handle.
Row one kettlebell toward your hip, keeping your elbow close to your side and your hips and shoulders square to the floor.
Pause briefly at the top, then lower the bell under control until its base sits flat on the floor.
Row the other kettlebell the same way and keep alternating sides for the planned reps.
To finish, lower your knees to the floor before letting go of the handles.

Common Mistakes

Twisting the hips
Letting the hips open toward the rowing side turns the rep into a twist and takes away the anti-rotation work the exercise is for.
Pressing off-center on the support bell
Leaning onto the edge of the handle instead of pressing straight down tips the kettlebell and can bend the wrist back sharply.
Feet too close together
A narrow stance shrinks your base, so the hips swing and the support bell rocks on almost every rep.
Sagging lower back
Dropping the hips arches the lower back and lets the abs switch off instead of holding a straight line from head to heels.
Using kettlebells that are too heavy
A bell you have to heave up forces your body to rock and twist, so the plank breaks down before the back does any real work.
Cutting the row short
Stopping with the elbow in front of the torso skips the part of the pull where the lats and upper back work hardest.

Injuries

Kettlebell Renegade Row is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The supporting wrist takes the most strain, because a kettlebell that tips under an off-center push can bend the wrist back sharply or drop you toward the floor. The supporting shoulder works hard to hold you up on one arm, and the lower back is loaded whenever the hips sag or twist.

Use two bells of the same size on a flat, firm floor, keep each wrist straight and stacked over the center of its handle, and press straight down rather than leaning onto the edge of the bell. Set your feet wide, brace before every rep, and row smoothly instead of yanking the bell, since a jerky pull is what usually rocks the support bell.

To make it easier, row from your knees, row a single kettlebell with your other hand flat on the floor, or go back to the Dumbbell Renegade Row with hex dumbbells. The Plank Shoulder Tap trains the same three-point balance without a load. To progress, bring your feet closer together, pause with the bell at your hip, or move up a bell size once every rep stays square.

Stop the set if the support bell starts to wobble or tip, if your hips twist or sag and you cannot correct them, or if you feel sharp pain in your wrist, shoulder or lower back.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back and core
Equipment: Kettlebell and body weight
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Advanced

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the kettlebell version harder than the dumbbell renegade row?: Yes. The kettlebell handle sits higher and the bell rests on a small round base, so it tips whenever you press off-center, while a hex dumbbell sits flat on six sides. Learn the Dumbbell Renegade Row first and expect to use a lighter weight when you switch to kettlebells.
Q: Can I do a renegade row with one kettlebell?: Yes. Keep one hand flat on the floor and row the single kettlebell with the other arm, then switch sides. It removes the wobbly support bell, which makes it a good way to learn the pattern before using two.
Q: How heavy should the kettlebells be?: Noticeably lighter than you would use for a supported single-arm row. Choose a size that lets you keep your hips square and the support bell still for every rep, and move up only when you can finish your target reps that way.
Q: Is a push-up part of the renegade row?: Not in the standard version. Some coaches add a push-up on the handles after each pair of rows, which makes the set harder and adds chest and triceps work, but it also puts more load through the wrists on an already unstable base.
Q: How wide should my feet be?: Start with your feet wider than hip-width, since a wider base makes it much easier to keep your hips from twisting. Bring them closer together gradually as the movement gets easier.