LiftonicBarbell basics · Part 6 of 8
How to do a barbell row
Hinge until your torso is about 30 to 45 degrees above the floor, then pull the bar to your belly button and lower it to straight arms, keeping your torso still. It balances all the pressing in a barbell program.
What the barbell row trains
The bent-over barbell row pulls the bar from arm's length to your torso. It trains the lats, the muscles between your shoulder blades, the rear shoulders and the biceps, while the hamstrings and lower back hold the bent-over position. It balances all the pressing in a barbell program and builds the upper back strength that keeps the bar in place on squats and deadlifts.
Two common styles
- Bent-over row: torso held still at about 30 to 45 degrees above horizontal, bar pulled from a hanging position. The most common version.
- Pendlay row: torso near horizontal, each rep starts from the floor and returns to it. Stricter, and easier to keep consistent as the weight climbs.
The steps below are for the bent-over row.
Setting up
- Deadlift the bar to standing, using a double overhand grip just outside shoulder-width.
- Unlock your knees and push your hips back, keeping your back flat, until your torso is about 30 to 45 degrees above parallel to the floor.
- Let the bar hang at arm's length, around knee height, over the middle of your feet.
- Brace your abs and keep your neck in line with your back, eyes a meter or two in front of you on the floor.
Doing the rep
- Pull your elbows back and up, driving the bar toward your lower ribs or upper belly.
- Touch your torso and squeeze your shoulder blades together for a moment.
- Lower under control until your arms are straight again.
- Keep your torso still. A little movement on the last hard reps is normal; standing up to finish each rep is not.
Useful cues
- "Elbows to the ceiling": pull with the back, not just the arms.
- "Bar to belly button": keeps the bar path close and the lats working.
- "Chest proud": stops your upper back rounding at the bottom.
Common mistakes and fixes
- Turning it into a shrug. If your torso rises with every rep, the weight is too heavy. Lower it and keep the angle fixed.
- Rounded back. Brace harder, bend from the hips, and check you can hold the position with an empty bar first.
- Short range. Each rep should start from straight arms and finish touching your torso.
- Pulling to the chest with flared elbows. Aim lower, around the belly button, with elbows at about 45 degrees.
Sets, reps and progress
Rows work well with 3 sets of 5 to 8 reps. Add 1 to 2.5 kg (2.5 to 5 lb) when every rep of every set looks the same. Because the row is a supporting lift, it's fine to progress it more slowly and keep the form strict. Many lifters run it on the same day as the bench press, so pushing and pulling stay balanced across the week.
These guides are general education, not medical advice. If a lift causes pain, stop and talk to a qualified professional.
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