Training Guides / Exercise library
The barbell row
The bent-over barbell row builds a thick, strong upper back and balances out all your pressing. Here is the setup, the cues, the mistakes and the best row variations.
The barbell row is the main horizontal pull in most strength programs. You hinge forward with a barbell in your hands and pull it to your lower chest or upper stomach. It strengthens the whole back, the rear shoulders and the biceps, and it teaches you to hold a strong hinge position, which carries over to the deadlift.
General education only, not medical advice. If bending over with a load bothers your back, choose a supported row variation below.
Muscles worked
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Latissimus dorsi | Pulls the upper arm back toward the hips |
| Rhomboids and middle trapezius | Squeeze the shoulder blades together |
| Rear deltoids | Pull the arm back at the shoulder |
| Biceps and forearms | Bend the elbow and hold the bar |
| Spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings | Hold the hinged torso still |
Setup
- Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width.
- Grip the bar with palms facing you, hands slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Hinge at the hips with a slight knee bend until your torso is roughly 30 to 45 degrees above parallel to the floor, or lower if your hamstrings allow while keeping a flat back.
- Let the bar hang at arm's length just below the knees. Brace the abs.
Form cues
- Pull to the belly. Aim for the lower ribs or upper stomach, not the neck.
- Elbows back, at roughly 45 degrees from the body.
- Squeeze at the top for a brief pause with the shoulder blades pulled together.
- Torso stays still. Your back angle should hardly change during the set.
- Lower under control to a full stretch with the arms straight.
Common mistakes
- Standing up as the set goes on, turning the row into a shrug. Keep the hinge.
- Heaving with the hips to swing the bar up. A little body English on the last rep is fine; every rep is not.
- Rounded back. Lower the weight and keep the chest proud.
- Short range. Touch the body at the top and fully straighten the arms at the bottom.
Variations
| Variation | Notes |
|---|---|
| Pendlay row | Bar returns to the floor each rep from a near-parallel torso; strict and explosive |
| One-arm dumbbell row | Hand and knee on a bench support the back; huge range of motion |
| Chest-supported row | Lying face-down on an incline bench takes the lower back out of it |
| Seated cable row | Smooth constant tension, easy to adjust |
| Inverted row | Bodyweight version under a bar or table edge, great for home training |
How to program it
Rows respond well to moderate reps. Three to four sets of 6 to 12 reps works for most goals. A simple rule many coaches use is to do at least as many sets of pulling as pressing each week, which helps keep the shoulders balanced. If you bench and press twice a week, row twice a week too.
If your lower back is already tired from squats and deadlifts, switch to chest-supported or one-arm dumbbell rows for a while. You still train the upper back, with far less fatigue.
See the back guide for weekly set targets and the pull-up guide for the vertical partner to this lift.
