TRX Single-Arm Row
Rowing with a single handle loads one side of the back at a time while the core fights to keep the torso square against the offset pull, so it builds both unilateral pulling strength and anti-rotation control. It exposes and evens out left-to-right differences that a two-handle row can hide. Use it to add single-arm back volume and to train the trunk to stay honest under an uneven load.
- Equipment
- TRX
- Type
- Balance, Strength
- Browse by muscle
- Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius Middle
- Browse by movement
- Horizontal Pull
- Target
- Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius Middle
- Secondary
- Trapezius Lower, Deltoid Posterior, Infraspinatus, Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head, Brachioradialis
- Tertiary
- Abdominal External Oblique, Erector Spinae
How to do it
- 1
Face the anchor and hold one handle with the working arm, palm facing in.
- 2
Walk the feet forward and lean back until the arm is straight and loaded.
- 3
Brace the core and set a straight line from head to heels.
- 4
Keeping the hips and shoulders square, pull the chest toward the handle.
- 5
Drive the elbow back and down and squeeze the shoulder blade at the top.
- 6
Lower under control to a straight arm, complete the reps, then switch sides.
Tips
- Resist the twist; keep both shoulders and hips facing the anchor throughout.
- Lead with the elbow rather than the hand to bias the back over the biceps.
- Keep the hips up and the glutes tight so the body stays a rigid plank.
- Walk the feet forward to make it harder, back to make it easier.
Variations
Common mistakes
- Using the same foot position as your two-handed strap row. One arm is now carrying what two were, so start several steps shallower and work forward from there.
- Setting the feet together. A narrow base gives the twist nothing to push against; stand hip-width or wider so the hips can stay square to the anchor.
- Reaching across with the free hand to grab the strap when the last reps get hard. That quietly converts the set back into a two-arm row.
- Switching arms without checking the strap length or where your feet were. The second side then works at a different angle than the first, and the comparison you came for is gone.
Frequently asked
- How many sets and reps of the TRX single-arm row should I do?
- Two or three sets of 8 to 10 per arm at a lean where you can pause for a beat at the top with the hips square. Set the angle by your weaker side and give the stronger side the same reps. Progress in small steps, since an inch or two of foot position changes the load more than you would expect on one arm. Treat it as accessory work after a two-handed row rather than the first thing in a session.
- What can I do instead of the TRX single-arm row with no straps?
- A band anchored at chest height and rowed with one hand trains the same anti-rotation pull at home. A single-arm dumbbell row on a bench builds the same side of the back but removes the twist, so add a suitcase carry or a Pallof press if you want the trunk work back. Rings at hip height do the job exactly, and a one-arm inverted row under a bar in a rack is the closest bodyweight match.
- What is the TRX single-arm row for, and who should not do it yet?
- It trains a one-arm pull and an anti-rotation brace at the same time, which is useful for athletes, for anyone whose sides pull unevenly, and for adding pulling volume with nothing but straps. Anyone who cannot yet hold a rigid line through a set of two-handed strap rows should wait: with one arm the twist arrives immediately and the hips give up first. It is also a poor choice when you want heavy loading, since only your bodyweight and your angle are on offer.
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