Smith Machine Inverted Row

Name: How to do Smith Machine Inverted Row: exercise demo
Uploaded: 2024-11-26T04:51:42Z
Duration: 3 s
Description: The Smith machine inverted row is a bodyweight row where you hang under a fixed Smith machine bar with your body straight and heels on the floor, then pull your chest up to the bar. It works the mid-back, lats and rear delts, with the biceps assisting.

Also called inverted row, australian pull-up, bodyweight row

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Quick answer

The Smith machine inverted row is a bodyweight row where you hang under a fixed Smith machine bar with your body straight and heels on the floor, then pull your chest up to the bar. It works the mid-back, lats and rear delts, with the biceps assisting.

Written by the GymStreak coaching team · Updated 29 Sep 2026

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Middle back

Secondary

How to do Smith Machine Inverted Row

1
Position the smith machine barbell at about hip height. Hold the barbell with a wider than shoulder width grip and hang underneath the barbell.
2
Your legs & body should be straight with just your heels on the floor. Fully extend your arms. This is your starting position.
3
Pull yourself up touching the bottom of your chest with the bar. Focus on contracting your back muscles.
4
After a brief pause, slowly return to the starting position.

Form cues

Hold a straight line from heels to shoulders; squeeze your glutes.
Pull your chest to the bar, not your chin over it.
Drive your elbows back at roughly 45 degrees from your sides.
Pause with the bar at your lower chest, then lower for about two seconds.
Raise the bar or bend your knees to make it easier.

Breathing: Breathe out as you pull your chest up to the bar; breathe in as you lower back to straight arms.

Common Smith Machine Inverted Row mistakes

Hips sagging toward the floor
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body moves as one straight plank.
Reaching the chin up toward the bar
Keep your neck neutral and lead with your chest; if it can't reach the bar, make the setup easier.
Shrugging instead of rowing
Pull your shoulder blades back and down as your elbows bend, keeping your neck long.
Stopping short of straight arms
Lower all the way down each rep so your back works through its full range.

Sets and reps by goal

Goal	Sets	Reps	Rest
Beginnersraise the bar to make it easier	1–3	8–12	60–90 s
Muscle growthlower the bar or elevate your feet to progress	3–4	6–12	1–2 min

Starting ranges in line with the ACSM guidance on resistance training. Pick a load you can lift with good form for every rep, and add weight or reps gradually.

Smith Machine Inverted Row variations and alternatives

Variations

Bent-knee inverted row
Feet flat with knees bent takes some bodyweight off and is the easiest place to start.
Feet-elevated inverted row
Resting your heels on a bench means you pull a larger share of your bodyweight.
Suspension-strap inverted row
Straps let your hands rotate freely, which some people find more comfortable on the wrists and elbows.

Alternatives

Bent-over barbell row
Lets you load the same muscles much more heavily once bodyweight rows are easy.
Seated cable row
Easy to load in small increments if you can't yet do several inverted rows.
Pull-up
A harder vertical pull that puts more emphasis on the lats.
Smith machine bent-over row
Keeps the fixed bar path, but you row the weight instead of your body.

Smith Machine Inverted Row FAQ

Are inverted rows easier than pull-ups?

For most people, yes. Your heels stay on the floor, so you lift only part of your bodyweight, and you can make the row easier by raising the bar. That makes it a common stepping stone toward pull-ups, although the movements differ: inverted rows pull horizontally toward the chest, while pull-ups pull vertically and rely more on the lats.

How do I make Smith machine inverted rows harder?

Lower the bar so your body is closer to horizontal, then try elevating your feet on a bench, pausing for a second at the top or slowing the lowering phase. Once you can do around 12 clean reps with your feet raised, add a weighted vest or move on to loaded rows such as barbell or dumbbell rows.

Why use a Smith machine for inverted rows?

The Smith machine bar locks at many heights and doesn't roll, so it's a quick way to set a stable bar and adjust difficulty in small steps. A barbell set in a squat rack works the same way. Before hanging from it, check the bar is securely hooked onto the pins so it can't slide down.

What muscles do inverted rows work?

Inverted rows mainly work your mid-back, including the rhomboids and middle traps, along with the lats and rear delts, which pull your elbows back. The biceps and forearms bend your arms and grip the bar, and your abs, glutes and hamstrings stay tight to hold your body in a straight line from heels to shoulders.