Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The kettlebell alternating renegade row is a compound exercise that targets the upper back while also engaging the core and shoulders. It requires maintaining a plank position while performing alternating rows with kettlebells, challenging both strength and stability.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Obliques , Shoulders , Abs
Equipment
Kettlebell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the kettlebell alternating renegade row
Front view: muscles worked by the kettlebell alternating renegade row. Primary: traps. Secondary: obliques, shoulders and abs.
Back view: muscles worked by the kettlebell alternating renegade row. Primary: traps. Secondary: obliques, shoulders and abs.
Primary Secondary

How to do the kettlebell alternating renegade row

  1. Step 1: Start in a high plank position with your hands gripping the kettlebells and your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  3. Step 3: Pull one kettlebell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  4. Step 4: Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
  5. Step 5: Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the kettlebell alternating renegade row 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.

Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps exercises

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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.