Bad Lower Back? 5 Row Alternatives to Build Muscle

I have a bad lower back. I’m talking crushed lumbar vertebrae bad. I’ve dealt with back issues for years (okay, decades), and they’ve taught me to think carefully about every exercise I put in a workout.

Bent-over rows have always been a tough one for me. The second I hinge forward and start pulling, my lower back is working to hold me in position—and sometimes it lets me know it’s had enough. I’m not going to keep forcing an exercise that can flare things up just because it’s a classic back move.

If you’ve got a bad lower back, you may know that trade-off: You want to train your back, but the row you’re doing feels like it’s asking your lower back to do too much. I’ve spent years finding ways to keep rowing while giving my lower back more support.

Here are five row alternatives to try. Some still may not work for you, so start light and pay attention to how your back responds.

1. Smith Machine Bent-Over Row

A Smith machine bent-over row is similar to a barbell bent-over row, but the bar moves along a fixed path. That guided movement can make the exercise feel more stable and may reduce some of the strain you feel compared with a free-weight barbell row.

I still feel some stress in my lower back when I do this version, so it isn’t automatically the right choice for everybody. Try it with a manageable weight and pay attention to how your back responds. If the position irritates your lower back, move on to a more supported option.

Coaching Cue

Brace your abs and keep your torso angle fixed as you row—don’t use your lower back to jerk the bar up.

2. Chest-Supported Machine Row

If your gym has a row machine with a chest pad, this is one of the first options I’d try. This is the standard machine row you'll find at pretty much any fully-equipped like Planet Fitness, Crunch, Gold's, YMCA,

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