What if there was a better way to do a plank row? One that raises the difficulty of an already challenging move, while also increasing the demand on your back and core?
The elevated plank row doesn’t just help build your lats and mid-back. It also works your core hard, forcing you to stay steady, resist hip rotation and hold a strong position on the bench.
As Men’s Health US fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., and fitness editor Brett Williams, N.A.S.M., explain in the latest Form Check, the elevated plank row is all about anti-rotation.
‘The move is simple,’ Samuel says of the elevated plank row, which requires nothing more than a dumbbell and bench. You can also use a sturdy chair or ottoman if you’re training at home.
‘All we’re doing is rowing up, but you just have to hold that tension.’
Squeeze Your Core and Glutes
The main mistake people make with the elevated plank row, Samuel says, is setting up in more of a tabletop position with a completely flat back. For this move, the goal is to create a longer shoulder-to-toe anti-rotational challenge. That means squeezing your abs and tightening your glutes.
‘If you go into the standard tabletop position, the only part of your body that really has to fight anti rotation is your torso,’ Samuel explains. ‘With your hips neutralised, you’re now in a straight line from shoulders to ankles, keeping a straighter line over a longer lever.’
Another common error is the placement of your supporting arm. Instead of internally rotating it so it sits parallel with the bench, which can cause shoulder discomfort, keep it in a safer externally rotated position.
How to Do the Elevated Plank Row
To perform the move, place one hand on a bench and hold a dumbbell in the other. Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from shoulders to ankles.
Once you’re in position, think about tightening your glutes and bracing the obliques on the side holding the weight to keep your body steady. Maintaining tension is the key.
Row the dumbbell until your upper arm is parallel to your torso, then pause. This creates a serious anti-rotational challenge – and makes the elevated plank row far from an easy move.
‘This is a position of work for the entire elevated plank row – from the moment you start a set until the very end is a position of work,’ Samuel says. ‘And that’s what you want it to be. This is a great way to finish off any back workout.’
Use the elevated plank row as an accessory move later in your workout. Aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
To make it more intense, move back and forth between sides without rest. While one arm is working, the other side is effectively recovering.
‘So work back and forth with those three sets without rest. Your abs will be on fire and your back will love it,’ Samuel says.