Movement overview

The Inverted Row, also known as the Australian Pull-Up, is a bodyweight exercise that targets the upper back, shoulders, and biceps. It involves pulling your chest towards a bar while your body is suspended horizontally beneath it. This exercise is effective for building strength and improving posture.

Step-by-step cues

1. Set a barbell in a rack at waist height or use a Smith machine bar.
2. Lie under the bar with your chest directly below it and extend your legs straight out.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Engage your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
5. Pull your chest towards the bar by retracting your shoulder blades and bending your elbows.
6. Pause at the top when your chest nearly touches the bar.
7. Lower yourself back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Technical tips

• Keep your body rigid and avoid sagging hips to maintain proper form.
• Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
• Adjust the height of the bar to increase or decrease difficulty; lower bars make it harder.
• Ensure your head remains in a neutral position throughout the exercise.
• Breathe out as you pull up and inhale as you lower down.
• If you find it too challenging, bend your knees and place feet flat on the ground for support.