Barbell Bent Over Row
Also known as: Barbell Row, Bent-Over Barbell Row, Bent Over Row
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Description
Hinge forward until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor and row a barbell from a straight-arm hang to your stomach to build a stronger upper back. You feel it between and below your shoulder blades (middle and lower traps), in your rear delts and down the sides of your back in your lats, while your lower back holds the hinge and your forearms hold the bar. Once you can hold a flat-back hip hinge, it's the standard heavy back exercise and needs only a bar and plates. Unlike the Pendlay Row, the plates never touch the floor between reps, so your back stays loaded all set long.
How to Perform
- Load the bar on the floor, or set it in a rack at mid-thigh height.
- Take an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulders, thumbs wrapped around the bar.
- Pick the bar up the way you start a deadlift: flat back, bar close to your legs. Feet end up hip-width apart, toes forward.
- Soften your knees and push your hips back until your torso sits about 15–30° above parallel. That's the starting position: arms straight, bar hanging around mid-shin.
- Breathe into your belly, pull your ribs down and brace. Look at the floor about a meter ahead so your head stays in line with your back.
- Drive your elbows back toward your hips and pull the bar up along your thighs to your stomach, between your lower ribs and your navel.
- In the top position your elbows are behind your torso, roughly 30–45° from your sides, and your shoulder blades are squeezed together. Hold it for a second.
- Lower the bar in 1–2 seconds until your arms are straight again. Your torso, hips and knees stay put, and the plates don't touch the floor.
- To finish, bend your knees and set the bar down with a flat back, or stand up and return it to the rack.
What Muscles Work
Primary Muscle:
Secondary Muscles:
Tips
- Sets of 8–12 suit muscle growth, 5–8 suit strength.
- Stay at one weight and add reps; once each set hits the upper number without your torso rising, add 2.5 kg (1.25 kg per side) and build up again from the lower one.
- Your lower back works here because it holds the hinge, and that's normal. If it aches before your upper back is tired, the weight is too heavy or your spine is rounding.
- Overhand or underhand? With this overhand grip and slightly wider hands, your upper back and rear shoulders do more of the work. In the Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row your elbows stay closer to your body and your arms help more.
- Can't hold the hinge yet? Learn the pull with your chest on an incline bench, or row a lighter bar with your torso at about 45°. Once the full version feels easy, pause for 2 seconds with the bar on your stomach.
- Substitutes: Pendlay Row if you want every rep to start from the floor, Double Dumbbell Bent Over Row for a longer pull, Incline Chest Supported Barbell Row when your lower back is tired, and Smith Machine Bent Over Row for a fixed bar path.
Common Mistakes
- Standing up a bit more with every rep and jerking the bar with your hips. Pick one torso angle and keep it to the last rep; if the bar only moves with a hip drive, strip some weight.
- Rounding your back at the bottom as the bar pulls your shoulders toward the floor. Brace again before each rep and let only your shoulder blades spread. If your lower back still rounds, bend your knees a little more.
- Rowing to your chest with your elbows flared out wide. Aim the bar at your navel and drive your elbows toward your hips.
- Tapping or bouncing the plates on the floor between reps. That turns it into a Pendlay Row; here every rep starts from a dead hang with straight arms.
- Cranking your neck up to watch yourself in the mirror. Look at the floor about a meter ahead with your chin slightly tucked.
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