Exercise Comparison
Alternating Kettlebell Row vs Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
Instructions
Alternating Kettlebell Row
Place two kettlebells in front of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and push your butt out as much as possible. As you bend over to get into the starting position grab both kettlebells by the handles.
Pull one kettlebell off of the floor while holding on to the other kettlebell. Retract the shoulder blade of the working side, as you flex the elbow, drawing the kettlebell towards your stomach or rib cage.
Lower the kettlebell in the working arm and repeat with your other arm.
Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward.
Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
Now grab the bar with one arm just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position.
Pull the bar straight up with your elbow in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Do not allow for any swinging of the torso. Only the arm should move.
Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones).
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and switch arms.
Verdict
Both exercises target the middle back. Alternating Kettlebell Row is a intermediate exercise using kettlebells, while Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row is beginner and uses barbell. Choose Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Alternating Kettlebell Row for a greater challenge. Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Alternating Kettlebell Row isolates the target muscle for focused development.