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Bent Over Row (Barbell)

Hinge forward, hold the position, and row the bar to your torso.

• Upper back
• Barbell
• Weight and reps

What it works

Upper back and lats, with the rear shoulders and biceps assisting. The hamstrings and lower back work isometrically the whole set just to hold you in position, which is a large part of why the lift is tiring.

Setup

1. Take the bar from the floor or a rack with a grip a little wider than shoulder width, palms facing you.
2. Push your hips back and hinge forward until your torso is somewhere between 15 and 45 degrees above horizontal. Flatter works the upper back harder and is harder to hold.
3. Soften your knees and keep them at that angle.
4. Set your back flat, chest up, and let the bar hang with your arms straight.
5. Whatever angle you choose, commit to it. The torso does not move during the set.

The movement

1. Breathe in and brace.
2. Pull your shoulder blades back first, then row the bar to your torso. Think about driving your elbows back rather than pulling with your hands.
3. Touch somewhere between your lower ribs and your navel. Higher emphasises the upper back, lower emphasises the lats.
4. Pause briefly at the top with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
5. Lower under control until your arms are straight and your shoulder blades have travelled forward again.

Common mistakes

• The torso rising as you row: the most common fault by a distance. If your chest lifts to meet the bar, the weight is too heavy.
• Turning it into a shrug: elbows go back and down, not up. If your traps are doing all the work, check where you are touching.
• Jerking the weight with your legs and hips: a strict row is a strict row. If you want to use momentum, that is a different exercise and should be a deliberate choice.
• Rounding the lower back: set it flat before the first rep and check it holds. If it rounds, reduce the weight or raise your torso angle.
• Not letting the shoulder blades travel: let them come forward at the bottom and squeeze them back at the top. Rowing with locked shoulder blades is mostly an arm exercise.

Variations and alternatives

The seated cable row trains the same pattern with your torso supported, so your lower back is not the limit. Single arm dumbbell rows let you brace against a bench and work each side separately. Chest supported rows on an incline bench remove the position holding entirely.

If a movement causes pain rather than ordinary training effort, stop and speak to a qualified professional. Programming context for this lift is in how training programs are built.