Lats exercise
Single-Arm Kettlebell RowHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Lats, Upper back
- Also works
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Single-Arm Kettlebell Row?
- Step the foot opposite your working arm forward and bend that knee.
- Hinge forward and rest your free hand on your front thigh.
- Let the kettlebell hang straight below your shoulder.
- Pull it to your hip, elbow close to your side.
- Lower it slowly until your arm is straight; switch sides after the set.
Cues
- Elbow to your back pocket.
- Shoulders and hips stay square.
- Flat back, long neck.
Common mistakes
- Twisting to lift the bell: keep your chest facing the floor and use a lighter bell.
- Rounding your back: hinge from the hips and brace first.
- Letting the shoulder drop at the bottom: keep it pulled back, level with the other.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Staggered stance: the foot opposite the working arm forward, the other foot back, feet about hip-width apart side to side and about 60 cm apart front to back, both flat on the floor. Front knee bent about 35°, back knee soft (about 10°). Hinge at the hips and rest the free hand on the front thigh just above the knee, that arm almost straight. Kettlebell in the working hand, neutral grip (palm facing in), wrist straight. Back flat, stomach braced, head in line with the spine. Working arm on the side nearer the camera.
The movement
The hand rises in a near-vertical line, finishing beside the hip. The elbow brushes past the ribs. The trunk, legs and support arm stay still; the trunk does not twist open and the working shoulder does not drop towards the floor.
End position
Kettlebell beside the hip / lower ribs, forearm close to vertical, bell under the elbow. Elbow close to the side, driven back past the line of the back: elbow flexion about 90°, upper arm about 30° past the trunk line. Shoulder blade drawn back and down. Shoulders and hips still square. Pause 0.5 s.
Tempo
Pull 1 s / squeeze 0.5 s / lower 2 s, then 0.3 s at arm's length.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk twist during the rep | 0° | under 5° | |
| Elbow flexion at the start | 0° | 0–5° | |
| Elbow out from the side at the end (top view) | 10° | 0–20° | |
| Kettlebell at the end | beside the hip | hip crease to lower ribs |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Single-Arm Kettlebell Row is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
