The barbell row is considered a important exercise for building size and strength. It is one of the three powerlifts that includes squat, bench press, and deadlift. Doing this exercise routine will help you build a stronger back and bigger arms. This is how you can get the most out of this back training staple.
What Is the Bent-Over Row?
The bent-over row is a general category of exercises that involve leaning forward at the waist and lifting either a barbell or dumbbell toward your chest.
The bent-over row is a classic strength and bodybuilding move that has been around for decades.
There are several types of bent-over rows in addition to the Pendlay row, including dumbbell rows, Yates rows, and the T-bar bent-over row.
Rows can be performed with a barbell, dumbbell, or machine. The grip, resistance, and strictness with which you use your legs all differ depending on the type of row you are doing.
The standard barbell row requires a barbell (either the standard 45-pound version or a preloaded one). You'll want to use a padded floor or deadlift platform if you're using heavier weights, so you don't damage the plates or the floor.
What Muscles Does the Bent-Over Row Work?
Many people assume that the only muscles worked during a bent-over row are back muscles.
This exercise primarily works the back, but it also trains the arms, shoulders, and legs to a small extent.
The bent-over row helps develop your back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi.
- Latissimus dorsi
- Trapezius (traps)
- Rhomboids
- Teres major and minor
- Infraspinatus
- Erector spinae
In addition to arm and shoulder muscles, such as the…
- Biceps brachii
- Biceps brachialis
- Forearms
- Posterior deltoids
Bent-over rows also help to train the …
. As you get stronger with the bent-over row, you will need to engage more muscle groups to help stabilize throughout the movement, turning it into a full-body exercise.
How to Do the Barbell Row
The exercise known as the bent-over barbell row is one that can be relatively easy to both set up and execute. You only need a barbell, some weight plates, and a floor to workout. Accessories such as lifting straps or a lifting belt are not always required. Lifting straps can help support your grip strength, while a lifting belt can provide additional lower back support.
To master the exercise, practice it yourself and then see if you need any extra equipment.
Step 1 — Get Into the Starting Position
Approach a weighted barbell and stand with your feet either shoulder-width apart, or slightly narrower than hip-width. The bar should be positioned above the middle of your feet. If you are tall, the bar may be more comfortable positioned against your shins.
Push your hips back and bend at the waist. Keep your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Grip the barbell with your palms facing down, just outside of your shins. Keep your shoulders back and your lats engaged as you start to lift the weight. You should feel tension in your back muscles. Your head should be in a neutral position, not tilted up or down.
Stand up straight with your legs straight, like you would when doing a deadlift. Start by bending your legs slightly and hinging at your hips until your upper body is slightly above parallel to the ground, with your arms locked out. Let the barbell hang near your legs with your arms extended.
You should keep your eyes focused on a spot that is about three to six feet in front of you. This allows you to keep a stable body position, have a consistent bar position between each repetition, and reduces the risk of injury because of technical failure.
Step 2 — Pull the Weight Up
Start with the bar in a dead-hang position, then drive your elbows up towards your hips. The barbell should reach your belly button. When you are in the top position, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and feeling a hard contraction in your back muscles.
Keep your upper body horizontal throughout the rep. Do not use your legs to help raise the weight and keep your torso upright.
It is important to keep good form even when you are trying to lift heavier weights. There are three main indicators that you are lifting too much weight. These are: your elbows flaring out to the side, the bar not reaching your belly button, and feeling extra pressure in your lower back which stops you from having a strong and stable torso position.
Step 3 — Lower the Weight to Stretch
Once you have lifted the barbell, remain in a strong and stable position while lowering it under control. Do not allow the bar to drop quickly into the bottom position.
Extend your arms out in front of you, and allow your shoulder blades to relax away from your spine. Extend your arms until you feel a stretch in your back muscles.
This will cause the weight to shift forward and place unnecessary stress on the lower back It is important to lower the barbell slowly and pay attention to the bar path and muscular control to avoid placing stress on the lower back. Be sure to lower the barbell in the same path as you lifted it. Performing the same number of reps with each set will help you keep the tension on your back muscles the same, while also reducing your risk of injury.
Barbell Row Mistakes to Avoid
The barbell row may appear to be a simple exercise, but you can still make mistakes that can hinder your progress and training. There are two mistakes that are common to avoid.
Lifting with Your Arms
A lot of beginner weightlifters tend to use their arms to pull the barbell up more than using their back muscles. While you cannot row without using your arms at all, the larger back muscles should be emphasized more than the smaller muscles of the arms.
If you keep activating your arms before your back, the weight will eventually become too much for your arms, and your back will have to take over the movement. This is because you will not have spent time focusing on feeling your back muscles contracting.
When exercising, it is important to focus on feeling your back muscles stretch and contract, in order to avoid injury. The mind-muscle connection is the connection between the brain and the muscles. This can be improved by boosting the connection, which has been shown to lead to better results. (1) If you actively drive your elbows into your hips, instead of focusing on your hands pulling the weight up, you can emphasize the lats.
Standing Too Upright
You will need to be bent over in a “hinged position” to do a barbell row. You don't need to be at a 90 degree angle, but you should be stable and horizontal to do the exercise correctly.
Some trainees will use a weight that is too heavy for them to lift correctly. If you try to counterbalance the weight by staying too upright, you'll end up shrugging instead of rowing. These two factors are often correlated, since excessive weight can lead to a lack of hinge stability and being too upright.
Modify the exercise by placing your glutes against a wall for support if you cannot hold the position with your hips extended. This will help you improve your coordination and strength so that you can stay in one position while contracting your back muscles.
Benefits of the Barbell Row
Bent-over barbell rows are a great exercise for developing multiple muscles in the upper and lower body.
There are many benefits to incorporating the barbell row into your workout routine, no matter your level of experience.
Improved Spinal Stability and Posture
This is especially true during A common weakness among lifters is the inability to maintain a neutral spine (flat back) during many movements. This is especially true during movements that involve bending at the waist, such as deadlifts and squats. The barbell row helps improve your posture and control in basic positions, which can lead to increased strength and stability in other movements. This exercise also strengthens the postural muscles, like the spinal erectors. This is key for lower back health and stability.
Building a Stronger Back
Your back getting stronger will improve your ability to brace your upper body. This makes it easier to do things like the overhead press, bench press, and squat.
The barbell row is a great way to build strength in your upper body. It uses your lats, upper back, lower back, shoulders, arms, and grip all at once. The barbell row allows you to use more weight than other variations of rowing exercises, making it more effective at building strength.
Increased Back Size
Building a back that is wider and thicker is a great way to improve your body. The lats are one of the most noticeable muscles on the body. If you have developed lats, they will likely be visible under your clothes, unlike muscles in your arms or legs. Using the barbell row as a mainstay in your back workout is an effective way to build muscle.
Muscles Worked by the Barbell Row
A compound exercise is one that engages multiple muscles across multiple joints to perform the movement. The barbell row is an example of a compound exercise.
The muscles most used are in the back, with some help from the biceps and forearms.
Latissimus Dorsi
The lats are the dominant muscle group in your back, and will be the main muscle group you work on during the bent-over row. The lats work to bring the upper arm from a position in front of the body, or above it, to a position along the side. The reason that the cue of “pulling your elbows toward your body” helps to recruit the lats is because it activates the function of the lats.
Spinal Erectors
The muscles along your spine, including those in your lower back, are called your spinal erectors. These muscles help you stay upright and stable when doing an exercise like the bent-over barbell row, where you need to maintain a hinged position.
If you have lower back problems, you may have trouble performing barbell rows. An alternative exercise may be a better option for you.
Scapular Stabilizers
The muscles located across the upper back that stabilize the scapula include multiple muscles working in related roles. The muscles in your upper back, including the trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and teres, are responsible for movements such as bringing your shoulder blades together and apart, as well as moving them up and down.
While rowing the bar up, you should squeeze your shoulder blades together (retraction). When lowering the barbell back to the start position, release (protracting) your shoulder blades.
Glutes and Hamstrings
Your glutes and hamstrings support your body by creating an isometric force that helps keep your upper body stable. Many people who lift weights feel a significant stretch in their hamstrings or glutes during a set of barbell rows. This is because the muscles are being worked in a stretched position without a full contraction.
Biceps
The biceps are used whenever the arm is bent. Your biceps help you lift the weight during the barbell row. If you want to target your biceps more effectively, try using an underhand grip, which will position them to be engaged more.
Forearms
The muscles on the top of the forearm that allow you to extend your wrist are highly active when you do barbell rows, as are the muscles on the bottom of the forearm that allow you to flex your wrist. This helps you maintain a strong grip on the bar. Your muscles, particularly the flexor muscles, help to stabilize the weight as it is lifted.
For many experienced lifters, the maximal weight they can lift is limited by the gripping strength of the forearm muscles. Lifting straps can provide additional support to help them overcome this issue.
