Renegade Row Push Up: Muscles Worked, How To Do, Form and Alternatives

The Renegade row push-up is a great exercise because it targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously. It is an efficient use of time for those looking to build strength and tone their upper body.

Moreover, the push-ups with renegade row pushes have a functional aspect, as they improve the strength and coordination of the upper and lower body.

This can translate to activities of daily living such as carrying groceries, lifting furniture, and more.

It is important to note that this exercise is a challenging, compound movement requiring proper form and technique to perform safely.

Learn how to do this exercise properly and safely with this guide!

What is Renegade Row Push Ups

Renegade Row Push-Ups is a full-body exercise that combines a push-up with a row using dumbbells or other weights.

It targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, back muscles, and core.

One of the main benefits of the renegade row push-up is that it provides a greater challenge to your core since you need to maintain stability throughout the movement.

Additionally, because it works for multiple muscle groups at once, it can be a more efficient exercise for those who are short on time.

Muscles Worked During Push-Up To Renegade Row

The Renegade row push-up is a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including:

They primarily work the Back, chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor), triceps, and shoulders (deltoids).

They also engage the core muscles, such as the serratus anterior, as they help to stabilize the body during exercise.

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the legs and glutes are indirectly targeted during push-ups with renegade row.

Here’s how these muscles are engaged during the push-up with renegade row:

1. Chest: The push-up portion of the exercise works the pectoral muscles in the chest.
2. Triceps: The push-up movement also engages the triceps muscles located in the back of the upper arm.
3. Shoulders: The exercise’s rowing motion works the shoulders’ deltoid muscles.
4. Back: The rowing motion specifically targets the latissimus dorsi muscle, the largest muscle in the back, as well as the rhomboids and the lower trapezius.
5. Core: Maintaining a stable plank position throughout the exercise works the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques.

Know More: Push-Ups: How-To, Muscle Worked, Benefit, Variations

How To Do Dumbbell Renegade Row Push Ups

If you’ve mastered regular pushups and want to target your muscles a little differently, renegade pushups are a good option.

To perform a renegade push-up, follow these steps:

1. Begin in a plank position with your hands on the floor and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, and keep your core tight throughout the exercise.
3. Keeping your body straight and rigid, begin to lower yourself towards the floor into a push-up.
4. As you push back up to the starting position, lift one arm and bring your elbow up to the side of your body, squeezing your shoulder blade toward your spine.
5. Lower the weight back down.
6. Repeat the motion with the other arm once you have finished with one side, maintaining a strong core throughout.
7. Repeat these steps for both sides to complete one full rep of the Renegade Row Push-Up.
8. Continue alternating sides for as many reps as desired.

Sets and reps

Start with 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps of the exercise or as many as possible while maintaining proper form.

As you get stronger, you can do more sets and reps.

Tips and Techniques

Here are some tips and techniques to help you perform it correctly and safely:

1. Start with proper warm-up

Proper warm-up and stretching before and after exercise are also recommended.

A warm-up will prepare your body for the exercise by increasing blood flow to your muscles and joints.

2. Focus on your form

Keep your core tight your body straight, and maintain proper form throughout the exercise.

3. Keep control of the weights

Make sure to keep control of the weights throughout the exercise, avoiding swinging or throwing the weights during the rowing motion.

4. Use proper equipment

Use appropriate weights and equipment when performing the renegade row push-up.

It’s important to use weights that you can handle to avoid straining your muscles.

5. Breathe correctly

It’s important to breathe correctly during the exercise.

Inhale as you lower your body, and then exhale as you push back up.

6. Progress Slowly

Start with only your body weight before adding weights.

As you progress, you can increase the weights or reps to make the exercise more challenging.

7. Focus on muscle engagement

When rowing, focus on squeezing your shoulder blade towards your spine, and when pushing up, focus on engaging the chest and triceps.

8. Incorporate good stretching

After your workout, stretch your muscles, especially those you worked on during the renegade row push-up, to help reduce muscle soreness and improve flexibility.

Variations and Modification of Renegade Row Push-Up

Variations are a great way to mix up your renegade row push-up routine and keep it fresh.

With a little creativity and variety, you’ll never get bored of mastering this classic move!

Here are some variations and modifications that you can use to make the renegade row push-up easier or more challenging or adapt it to your fitness level:

1. Knee Renegade Row Push Up

This modification is good for beginners or people who are not yet ready to perform the full renegade row push-up.

You should perform the exercise on your knees, not your toes.

2. Renegade Row Push-Up With Kettlebell

The setup for the renegade row push-ups with kettlebells is similar to a standard push-up but with the added challenge of stability from the kettlebells.

The use of kettlebells allows for more variety and variation in this exercise, as kettlebells offer a wider range of motion and different grip options on the handle.

The kettlebells also require more engagement of the core, which will increase the effectiveness of the exercise on the core.

How To Do It

1. Start in a plank position with your hands on two kettlebells and your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Your body should be straight, with your core engaged and your glutes squeezed.
3. Lower yourself down into a push-up by bending your elbows and lowering your body towards the ground.
4. By straightening your arms, push yourself back up to the starting position.
5. After the push-up, row one kettlebell up towards your chest.
6. Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat the row on the other side.
7. Perform another push-up, then alternate sides with the rows.

Know More: 15 Bodyweight Triceps Exercises: Beginner to Advanced

3. Box Renegade Row Push Up

You can use a box or any similar equipment to elevate your hands and make the exercise more challenging.

This variation puts more emphasis on the upper body and core

4. Close Grip Renegade Row Push Up

This variation focuses on your triceps and shoulders; it is done by moving your hands closer than shoulder-width on the weights while doing the push-up.

5. Elevated Renegade Row Push Up

Elevate your feet by placing them on a bench or step to increase the intensity of the exercise.

6. Single Arm Renegade Row Push Up

Instead of rowing with both arms, you can exercise one arm at a time.

This variation requires more stability and balance and is a greater challenge for the core.

It’s always advisable to start with simpler exercises and progress to more advanced variations as you gain strength and stability.

Renegade Row Push-Up Benefits

The Renegade Row Push-Up is a challenging and effective exercise that provides several benefits, including:

1. Full-body workout

This exercise targets multiple muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, and core, providing a comprehensive workout in a single movement.

2. Improved core strength

It requires you to maintain stability throughout the movement, strengthening your core and improving your balance.

3. Increased muscle endurance

Because it works for multiple muscle groups at once, it can help to improve your overall muscle endurance.

4. Burn Calories

They can help improve your muscle tone and definition. Doing it can be a powerful full-body workout and help to burn more calories.

5. Better coordination

The movement of the exercise requires coordination between the upper body and lower body and helps to develop better balance and control.

Incorporating Renegade Row Push-Ups into your routine

Incorporating it into your workout routine can effectively target multiple muscle groups and improve your overall fitness.

Here are some tips for incorporating this exercise into your routine:

1. Upper body circuit: The renegade row push-up effectively builds upper body strength and muscle endurance. So, it’s a good idea to incorporate it into your upper body workout routine.
2. Mix it with other exercises: To target multiple muscle groups and provide a full-body workout, mix the renegade row push-up with other exercises such as push-ups, rows, planks, squats, and lunges.
3. High-intensity interval training: To add some intensity to your workout, try incorporating it into a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuit. You can mix and match with other exercises such as burpees, jump squats, and mountain climbers.

Renegade Row Push-Up Alternatives

Several alternatives to the renegade row push-up can provide a similar full-body workout, targeting the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, and core. Here are a few examples:

1. Dumbbell or Barbell Row

The row is a compound exercise that works many different back muscles simultaneously. There are several variations of the chest-supported rows that you can do with a dumbbell, barbell, cable, or machine.

This exercise targets the back and shoulders and is a good alternative for the rowing portion of the renegade row push-up.

2. Push-Up

Push Up targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It can be a good alternative for the push-up portion of the Renegade Row Push-Up.

3. Plank

This exercise targets the core and shoulder, which is an important part of it. Planks help to build the stability required to perform the exercise properly.

4. Pull-Ups

This exercise targets the back and biceps and can be a good alternative for the rowing portion of the renegade push-up.

5. Rowing machine

This equipment works the back, shoulders, and arms and can be a good alternative for the rowing portion of the Renegade Row Push-Up.

Takeaways

The Renegade Row Push-Up is a full-body exercise that works multiple muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, and core.

Proper form and technique can improve core strength, muscle endurance, calorie burn, and coordination.

You can use many variations and modifications of the exercise to make it less or more challenging.

To get the most out of this exercise, you need to add it to a good workout routine.

References

• Unknown author. (2021) “Full Body/Integrated Exercises Renegade Row” ACE American Council on Exercise Retrieved on (30/07/2022) from: (https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/355/renegade-row/)
• Paine R, Voight ML. The role of the scapula. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Oct;8(5):617-29. PMID: 24175141; PMCID: PMC3811730.
• Lehman GJ, Buchan DD, Lundy A, Myers N, Nalborczyk A. Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study. Dyn Med. 2004 Jun 30;3(1):4. doi: 10.1186/1476-5918-3-4. PMID: 15228624; PMCID: PMC449729

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.