Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Inverted Row Bent Knees - Functional Variation: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The inverted row with bent knees is a bodyweight exercise targeting the upper back. It involves pulling your chest towards a bar while keeping your body straight and your knees bent, making it more accessible than the straight-leg version.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Forearms , Biceps
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the inverted row bent knees - functional variation
Front view: muscles worked by the inverted row bent knees - functional variation. Primary: traps. Secondary: forearms and biceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the inverted row bent knees - functional variation. Primary: traps. Secondary: forearms and biceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the inverted row bent knees - functional variation

  1. Step 1: Set up a bar at waist height and lie underneath it.
  2. Step 2: Grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Maintain functional form throughout.
  3. Step 3: Position your body so that your heels are on the ground and your body is straight.
  4. Step 4: Pull your chest up towards the bar by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the inverted row bent knees - functional variation by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Inverted Row Bent Knees - Functional Variation alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps exercises

See the best trap exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.