This 3-Way Row Will Carve Your Abs, Back, and Arms
If you've been looking to add serious size to your back, and you have a set of dumbbells, then you've likely already met the classic dumbbell row, a move that adds size and strength to your lats, mid-back, and biceps. The one downfall of this very basic exercise: It can get a little bit boring.
Change up your training tool, however, and you open the door to a whole new world of motion — and a chance to finetune your core as you build all that muscle, too. That's the idea behind the Triple-Position TRX row, a challenging full-body (and back!) exercise from Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. Suddenly, the row isn't just building your back; it's also building flexibility throughout your back at the same time, while challenging your core in new ways, says Samuel.
"We're blending three different ideas into one series of movements," says Samuel. "You're constantly rowing and hammering your back muscles in this move, as you should be. But you're also challenging nearly ever facet of your core's responsibilities, too."
You'll alternate three different row variations, continually contracting your back, even as your abs draw different tasks in each variation. On the initial rep, your core must rotate your torso, one of its key responsibilities in everyday life. On the next rep, your core must fight all torso rotation, keeping your hips and shoulders square to the ceiling. On the next rep, with one arm extended, your core has to fight even more torso rotation, even if you don't realize it.
"Underrated on every third, arm-extended rep is how your core has to stabilize," says Samuel. "We're used to all of our energy staying somewhat forward when we do a move that has us moving directly forward. Once that arm's extended, to own that arm-extended position, we have to direct some of our energy into the frontal plane. That essentially means we have to row that much more in isolation, creating a nice back squeeze."
You'll want a set of rings or a TRX for this movement. This TRX is your best option.
Set up in TRX reach row position, feet about shoulder-width apart, glutes and abs squeezed, knees bent slightly, left arm grasping the TRX tightly. Rotate your torso open to one side, reaching your right arm toward the ground, keeping core and glutes tight as you do this.
Using your left arm and back muscles, pull your body toward the TRX, rotating your torso upwards and reaching your right arm as high on the TRX as you can. "Keep squeezing through your core and glutes while doing this," says Samuel. "It's convenient to sort of "bend" at the waist, but you want to avoid this."
Relax and return to the start position, this time keeping your abs tight so hips and shoulders stay square to the ceiling. Your right arm should be pointed directly above you. Pause here, then, keeping your hips and shoulders square, row upwards again with your left arm. Pause for 1 second.
Return to the second start position, then extend your right arm out to the side as far as possible. Battle to keep hips and shoulders square. Row up again, pausing for 1 second. Return to the start.
That's 1 rep; do 3 or 4 clusters of reps per set; do 3 sets per arm.
If the move looks familiar, says Samuel, it's because it's an evolution of a move Samuel introduced in 2019. "Except what we're doing here is pushing you to explore how your torso stabilizes against rotation, and how you can pull and still utilize your back muscles while stabilizing in different planes," says Samuel.
The arm-extended row adds a new dimension to how you move. Your tendency may be to not squeeze your shoulder blades tightly and really extend your arm out on every third rep. "But you want to do that," says Samuel. "Push yourself to get that arm in the same plane as your torso, even if it's going to make the row rep that follows very challenging."
You're here for that challenge, because it's that challenge that builds the muscle and strength you crave.
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's New Rules of Muscle program.
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