Upper body · Back
Barbell bent-over row
How to do the bent-over barbell row: torso angle, grip, where to pull, common mistakes and alternatives that protect your lower back.
| Focus | Back · biceps, rear delts, lower back (stabilizer) |
| Movement | Row / horizontal pull |
| Equipment | Barbell |
| Suggested sets | 4 × 8 |
| Estimated time | ≈ 11 min |
| Joints loaded |
The bent-over barbell row is the fundamental free-weight horizontal pull. With your torso leaning forward, you pull the bar from straight arms to your belly. It trains the whole back and allows heavy loads, but your lower back has to hold the torso in position for the whole set.
Muscles worked
The lats, rhomboids and mid traps squeeze the shoulder blades and drive the elbows back. The rear delts and biceps assist. The spinal erectors work statically to hold the lean.
How to do it
- Grip the bar overhand, slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back until your torso leans 30–45° from the floor, back straight.
- Let the bar hang with straight arms below your shoulders.
- Pull by driving your elbows back and the bar toward your belly button, squeezing your shoulder blades.
- Lower under control until your arms are straight, without changing your torso angle.
Common mistakes
- Raising your torso on every rep to use momentum.
- Rounded back, which overloads the lower back.
- Pulling to the chest with flared elbows: it works the shoulders more than the back.
- Short range of motion from using too much weight.
Variations and progression
The one-arm dumbbell row puts one hand on the bench and unloads the lower back. The seated machine row removes the need to hold your torso entirely. An underhand grip involves the biceps more.
Precautions
It loads the lower back, shoulder and elbow. If you have lower-back pain, choose chest-supported or machine variations.
Alternatives with less joint load
They train the same muscle group. Highlighted joints are also loaded by the exercise on this page.
- Straight-arm cable pulldown · Vertical pull
- Assisted pull-ups · Vertical pull
- Lat pulldown · Vertical pull
- Seated machine row · Row / horizontal pull
- Single-arm cable row · Row / horizontal pull
Log your sets for this exercise and see your progress month by month.
Start for freeIf you have an injury, pain or a medical condition, check with a professional before doing this exercise.