Barbell One Arm Bent Over Row

1. Stand with feet hip width apart and grip a barbell in one hand with a neutral or overhand grip.
2. Hinge forward at the hips until your torso is close to parallel with the floor, keeping a flat back.
3. Let the barbell hang straight down from your shoulder with your arm fully extended.
4. Brace your core and keep your free hand on your knee or a bench for support.
5. Pull the barbell up toward your hip by driving your elbow back and up along your side.
6. Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine at the top of the row before lowering.
7. Lower the barbell under control to full extension and repeat for 8 to 12 reps, then switch sides.

Common Mistakes

• Rotating the torso during the pull: Twisting the shoulders to help lift the bar reduces lat engagement and stresses the spine. Keep the torso square to the floor.
• Standing too upright: A shallow hip hinge shortens the range of motion and turns the row into a shrug. Keep your torso close to horizontal throughout the set.
• Yanking the bar with the lower back: Using back extension to jerk the weight up risks injury. Keep the hips still and let the arm and back muscles do the pulling.
• Letting the shoulder round forward at the bottom: Losing shoulder blade position at full extension increases injury risk. Keep the chest open and shoulder blade set before each pull.