Barbell Bent Over Row

1. Deadlift a barbell to standing, then hinge at the hips until your torso is 30 to 45 degrees above horizontal, knees softly bent.
2. Hold the bar at arms length with a grip just wider than shoulder width, palms facing you.
3. Brace your core and lock your back flat; this position holds for the entire set.
4. Pull the bar to your lower ribs or upper stomach, leading with the elbows.
5. Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top for a beat.
6. Lower the bar under control to full arm extension without letting the torso rise or the back round.
7. Breathe out as you pull, in as you lower, keeping the hinge angle constant.
8. End the set by standing up with the bar and lowering it like a deadlift, not by dropping out of the hinge.

Common Mistakes

• Cheating with the hips: heaving the torso up to bump the bar turns a back exercise into a sloppy hip hinge and hides weakness instead of fixing it.
• Rowing to the wrong spot: pulling to the chest with flared elbows hits rear delts at best; the bar belongs at the lower ribs with elbows around 45 degrees.
• Letting the back round at the bottom: relaxing between reps under load is how bent over rows hurt lower backs; the brace never switches off.
• Cutting the range: half-lowering the bar keeps constant tension in the biceps rather than working the lats through a full stretch.

Programming Tips

Rows respond well to moderate rep ranges, 6 to 10 reps for 3 to 4 sets, since the hinged position limits how heavy you can safely load compared to a supported row. Add a set of higher-rep rows, 10 to 15, at the end of a back session to finish the lats and rear delts with a pump. Progress by adding a rep or two before adding weight, since the isometric hold on the lower back is often the limiting factor rather than the pulling muscles themselves. Program it after your primary vertical pull or deadlift variation, since it demands a fresh lower back to hold the hinge safely.

Common Questions

Is the bent over row bad for my back? Not if the hinge angle stays fixed and the core stays braced; most back tweaks come from letting the torso rise and fall with each rep instead of holding position.

Should I row to my chest or my stomach? Lower ribs to upper stomach targets the mid back best; rowing higher toward the chest shifts more work to the rear delts.

Can I use a Pendlay style row instead? Yes, resetting the bar on the floor each rep with a flatter torso is a good option if your lower back fatigues before your back muscles do.