Lying Floor Row Hold With Bent Knee
Lying Floor Row Hold With Bent Knee Exercise Description
The Lying Floor Row Hold with Bent Knee is a bodyweight, supine isometric that teaches solid rowing mechanics without external load. With feet flat and knees bent to support a neutral lumbar spine, you “row” by driving the elbows and upper arms into the floor, emphasizing scapular retraction and depression. Primary muscles engaged include the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius, and posterior deltoids, with the elbow flexors and trunk musculature contributing isometrically for position. The goal is to create tension between the elbows and mid‑back while keeping the ribs stacked over the pelvis and the neck long. This drill builds awareness of shoulder blade position and upper‑back engagement that transfers to loaded rowing patterns.
- Muscle Groups: Back, Delts, Lats, Shoulders, Traps
- Target Muscles: Deltoid - Posterior, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Assisting Muscles: Teres Major
- Stabilizing Muscles: Biceps Brachii - Short Head, Brachialis, External Obliques, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back, Shoulders, Upper Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Scapular Depressors, Scapular Retractors, Shoulder Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Lats, Lower Traps, Mid Traps, Rear Shoulder, Upper Back
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Lying Floor Row Hold With Bent Knee Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat hip‑width, arms at your sides.
– Bend elbows to about 90°, upper arms slightly away from your torso (W position), palms facing each other, wrists neutral.
– Set your trunk: exhale, lightly brace the abdominal wall; keep pelvis and lower back neutral (no arching).
– Gently tuck the chin so the back of your head rests on the floor and the neck stays long.
– Drive your elbows and the backs of your upper arms straight down into the floor as if pulling them toward your back pockets.
– Let the shoulder blades glide back and down; avoid shrugging toward the ears.
– Hover the hands just off the floor without moving the forearms; keep ribs from flaring.
– Maintain even breathing; feel tension in the mid‑back, not the neck or lower back.
– To finish, release the elbow drive slowly, lower the hands, and relax the shoulders.
Lying Floor Row Hold With Bent Knee Tips
‘- Keep your feet flat, hip‑width apart with knees bent to help maintain a neutral lower back.
– Bend your elbows to about 90° with upper arms slightly away from your torso in a “W” shape, palms facing each other.
– After you exhale, lightly brace your abdominal wall to keep the pelvis and lower back neutral and avoid arching.
– Gently tuck your chin so the back of your head rests on the floor and the neck stays long.
– Drive your elbows and the backs of your upper arms straight down into the floor as if pulling them toward your back pockets.
– Let your shoulder blades glide back and down as you press, and avoid shrugging them toward your ears.
– Hover your hands just off the floor without moving your forearms to maintain the isometric row position.
– Keep your ribs from flaring so they stay stacked over your pelvis during the hold.
– Maintain even breathing and aim to feel the tension in your mid‑back, not in your neck or lower back.
– To finish, slowly release the elbow drive, then lower your hands and relax your shoulders.
Lying Floor Row Hold With Bent Knee Beginner Introduction
The Lying Floor Row Hold with Bent Knee is a bodyweight drill performed lying on the back, designed to rehearse a rowing pattern without using weights. The position places the feet on the floor with bent knees, giving the lower back support while the arms create tension against the ground. With the elbows bent and slightly flared from the sides of the body, the upper arms and elbows press into the floor, encouraging the shoulder blades to slide backward and downward. The hands remain light, so the effort centers around the upper back rather than the forearms.
This static hold mainly targets the lats, upper back, traps, and rear shoulders, with support from the biceps and core to maintain the posture. Attention stays on a long neck, quiet ribs, and a stable mid‑section as the back of the body “rows” into the floor. The drill highlights how the shoulder blades and mid‑back participate in a row, building awareness that can later carry over to loaded rowing exercises.