How to do Gorilla Rows
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Gorilla Rows
Workouts with Gorilla Rows
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Gorilla Rows are a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders, biceps, and traps. By alternating sides after each rep, you give your muscles a brief moment to recover in the middle of your set, while also allowing you to focus your attention on the side that’s performing the movement. The posture this exercise puts you in can help you develop functional strength outside of just the rowing movement as well.
- Position yourself behind two kettlebells with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core, hinge your hips back, and bend forward with a straight back until your chest is over the kettlebells.
- Maintain proper form by engaging your core, straightening your back, and gazing forward.
- Grasp a kettlebell in each hand. Your palms should be facing each other.
- Engage your back and shoulders to raise one of the kettlebells off the floor. Leave the other kettlebell on the floor.
- Hold this position at the bottom of the movement for a moment.
- Lower the kettlebell back toward the ground with control.
- Place that kettlebell back on the ground.
- Repeat the movement on your other side.
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Over Recruiting Biceps
While your biceps should be involved, you should be feeling a majority of the tension in your back. Try focusing on driving your elbow back instead of bringing the weight towards your chest. This mindset shift will help you recruit the proper muscle groups for this exercise.
Back Flat
Keeping your back flat is essential to maintaining proper form with this exercise. It’s very common to see your back start to round as you become fatigued. Focus on keeping your core engaged, and shoulders back.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Gorilla Rows standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps15lbs1 Rep Max20lbs
- intermediate8reps17.5lbs22.5lbs
- advanced8reps22.5lbs30lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Gorilla Rows
1. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 6,519 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
2. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 5,707 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
3. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 4,731 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
4. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 4,699 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
5. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,896 TIMESBent Over Barbell row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders, traps, and biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement compared to something like dumbbells which can help you focus on exerting strength rather than stabilizing the movement. It’s a great exercise for building strength, and can be a way to start learning more advanced exercises like Olympic Lifts.
6. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 2,351 TIMESLike other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. Unlike other variations, using a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is excellent exercise for learning or practicing the movement of a seated row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Row Machine
7. Kettlebell Row
66.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,036 TIMESKettlebell Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. The use of a single kettlebell, and the position of your torso adds instability to the movement, and forces you to brace your core to maintain good posture. In addition, targeting one side at a time allows you to focus your attention on that side which can improve muscle activation, and help prevent any compensating for strength discrepancies between sides.
- Beginner
- Back
- Kettlebells
8. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,888 TIMESPull Ups are compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily target the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. While this exercise does have a decently high barrier to entry, it can be easily adapted to match your current conditioning with weighted or assisted variations. This is an excellent exercise for building functional strength and body control.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Pull Up Bar
9. Hammerstrength High Row
91.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,781 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is somewhere in between a Lat Pull Down and a Seated Row. The Hammerstrength Machine helps restrict your range of motion by moving on a set path, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is a great exercise for building strength, and the use of a machine allows you to focus more of your efforts on exertion rather than form.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
10. Shotgun Row
84.6 mSCORESWAPPED 1,761 TIMESShotgun Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. The use of a cable machine gives you control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This makes this a great exercise for adding some variety to your rows. By targeting each side independently, you help prevent any compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. You can easily adapt this exercise by adjusting the pulley on the cable machine to target more specific functional applications.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable