Ring Elevated Row

Strengthen your back, biceps, and shoulders with the Ring Elevated Row. This bodyweight exercise builds upper body pulling strength and stability.

IntermediateBack Body weight

Movement: Compound
Force: Pull
Per set: 1 min
Rest: 2 min

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Variations of Ring Elevated Row

Compound

Cable seated row

Back · Infraspinatus · Cable

Intermediate

Compound

Cable Rope Elevated Seated Row

Back · Infraspinatus · Cable

Intermediate

Compound

Ring High Row

Back · Infraspinatus · Suspension

Advanced

Compound

Inverted Row

Back · Infraspinatus · Body weight

Intermediate

Description

A ring elevated row is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the muscles in the back, biceps, and shoulders. It utilizes gymnastic rings, and the body is pulled up towards the rings in a rowing motion.

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How to do Ring Elevated Row

01
Setup
Adjust gymnastic rings so they are at a height where you can hang with your arms fully extended and your heels on the ground, maintaining a straight body from head to heels.
02
Setup
Lie on your back directly underneath the rings, grasping them with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from you.
03
Brace your core and glutes, then initiate the pull by retracting your shoulder blades and driving your elbows down and back towards your hips.
04
Continue pulling your chest towards the rings until your chest is approximately level with your hands, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
05
Slowly and with control, extend your arms to lower your body back to the starting position, ensuring your shoulder blades protract fully at the bottom.

Tips

Maintain a rigid plank position throughout the entire movement, keeping your core tight and glutes engaged to prevent hip sagging.
Focus on initiating the pull with your back muscles, imagining you're pulling your elbows towards your hips rather than just bending your arms.
To increase difficulty, walk your feet further forward so your body is more horizontal; to decrease difficulty, walk your feet back, making your body more vertical.
Keep your neck in a neutral position, looking slightly towards the rings, to avoid straining your cervical spine.

Common mistakes

Sagging hips: Prevent your hips from dropping towards the floor by actively squeezing your glutes and bracing your core throughout the set.
Using momentum: Avoid swinging your body to complete the repetition by performing each pull and lower with controlled, deliberate movement.
Limited range of motion: Ensure you fully extend your arms at the bottom and pull your chest to the rings at the top to maximize muscle engagement.

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Questions

Is Ring Elevated Row good for beginners?

Ring Elevated Row is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.

What equipment do I need for Ring Elevated Row?

You need Body weight to perform Ring Elevated Row. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.

What are the best tips for Ring Elevated Row?

Maintain a rigid plank position throughout the entire movement, keeping your core tight and glutes engaged to prevent hip sagging. Focus on initiating the pull with your back muscles, imagining you're pulling your elbows towards your hips rather than just bending your arms. To increase difficulty, walk your feet further forward so your body is more horizontal; to decrease difficulty, walk your feet back, making your body more vertical. Keep your neck in a neutral position, looking slightly towards the rings, to avoid straining your cervical spine.

What are common mistakes when doing Ring Elevated Row?

Sagging hips: Prevent your hips from dropping towards the floor by actively squeezing your glutes and bracing your core throughout the set. Using momentum: Avoid swinging your body to complete the repetition by performing each pull and lower with controlled, deliberate movement. Limited range of motion: Ensure you fully extend your arms at the bottom and pull your chest to the rings at the top to maximize muscle engagement.