Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row vs Butterfly Pull Up

Which one fits your Back workout plan?

Contents

Planfit users log Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row more often — 455 sessions vs 14. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Compare the benefits of Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row and Butterfly Pull Up and pick the one that fits your Back workout.

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row vs Butterfly Pull Up: Which Do Planfit Users Choose?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row more often — 455 sessions compared to 14 for Butterfly Pull Up.

What most people do isn't always what fits you. Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row and Butterfly Pull Up differ in the muscles they work, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row and Butterfly Pull Up Differ

What differsUnderhand Smith Machine Barbell RowButterfly Pull Up
Equipmenta machinea pull-up bar
Difficulty4 of 55 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users455 sessions14 sessions

Related comparisons

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How to Do Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row demo video

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row Muscles Worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Please pull towards your belly button so that the barbell can go up vertically.
  2. 2. While bringing your shoulder blades together, naturally pull your elbows and hands.
  3. 3. While holding the weight with your back strength, lower your hands down to below your knees.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. Please be careful not to let your elbows flare out.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to overly straighten your back or move it up and down.
  3. 3. Engage your core to prevent your back from rounding.

For a full Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row?Exercise Guide

How to Do Butterfly Pull Up

Butterfly Pull Up demo video

Butterfly Pull Up Muscles Worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Use the recoil to pull your arms so that your chest touches the bar.
  2. 2. Pull your arms naturally while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  3. 3. Please repeat for the specified number of times.

Coach's Tips

  1. Please rise using the strength of your shoulder blades instead of your arms.

For a full Butterfly Pull Up guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Butterfly Pull Up exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Butterfly Pull Up?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Back, Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row or Butterfly Pull Up?

Planfit users log Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row more often — 455 sessions against 14 for Butterfly Pull Up. Both train Back, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

What equipment do Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row and Butterfly Pull Up need?

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row needs a machine, and Butterfly Pull Up needs a pull-up bar.

Which is easier to start with?

Underhand Smith Machine Barbell Row is the easier place to start. Move to Butterfly Pull Up once your form holds up.

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