The horizontal row (sometimes called an "Australian pull-up" or "Inverted Row") is the bodyweight equivalent of a barbell row and the core horizontal pulling exercise of calisthenics. You lie under a low bar, rings, or a sturdy table edge, grip with straight arms, and pull your chest up to meet your hands while your body stays rigid like a reverse plank.
This is where you build the mid-back, lat, and rear-delt strength that balances out all the pressing you're doing in Level 2. Strong horizontal pulling is also what protects your shoulders long-term. Most shoulder aches come from a lack of pulling volumeThe total amount of work you do for a movement or muscle group, usually counted as sets × reps (per session or per week). Volume is one of the main levers of progress: too little and you don't improve, too much and you can't recover., not a lack of pressing.
If horizontal rows feel out of reach today, build the basic pulling pattern first with the vertical row.
How to do it
Set a bar or rings at around hip height. Lie on your back underneath and grab with hands slightly wider than your shoulders, palms facing away or neutral. Position your feet so that with straight arms your body hangs with shoulder blades off the floor. Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and pull your chest to the bar by driving your elbows back and down. Lower with control.
Watch more here:
Source: REP · How to do Australian Pull-Ups
Rings are also great for this, and it's easy to adjust the difficulty by changing the body angle, which is brilliantly shown here:
Source: Chris Calisthenics · Inverted Rows Are Underrated (But Most People Do Them Wrong)
Source is this video if you want to learn more about the ring row:
Source: Chris Calisthenics · Inverted Rows Are Underrated (But Most People Do Them Wrong)
Target
- SetsA group of consecutive reps followed by a rest. "3 sets of 8 push-ups" means doing eight reps, resting, and repeating that twice more. Rest between sets lets you keep the quality of each rep high.: 3
- RepsShort for repetitions - the number of times you perform a movement in a row without resting. One push-up is one rep; doing eight push-ups in a row is eight reps.: 10
- Rest: 90 seconds between sets
- Advance when: 3×10 with chest touching (or nearly touching) the bar
Key tips
- The lower the bar, the harder it is. Adjust by raising or lowering the bar to dial in difficulty
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, pause briefly
- Keep your body rigid like a reverse plank with heels, hips, and shoulders in one line
- Don't let your hips sag or pike up during the set
- If this is too hard, bend your knees and put your feet on the floor for help