Barbell row
A two-arm row with the bar, bent forward at the hips. Heavy back work that also loads the glutes and hamstrings.
The movement
Set
01 Set
Hinged near horizontal, bar hanging straight under the shoulders.
02 Elbow travels back
Lead with the elbow going back past the ribs, not with the hands.
03 Bar to the ribs
Finish with the elbow above your back and the bar at the lower ribs.
How to do it
Setup
- Push your hips back and fold forward to nearly horizontal, with the bar hanging under your shoulders and your back flat.
- Grip the bar just outside your legs, knees slightly bent, weight over the middle of your feet.
Execution
- Row the bar to your lower ribs with your elbows travelling back at about 45°.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top without standing up.
- Lower to fully straight arms while your torso holds the same angle.
BreathingExhale as you row, inhale as you lower.
Form cues
- Hold your torso angle still and bring the bar to it.
- Start the pull with your elbows and finish with your shoulder blades.
Common mistakes
- Standing a little taller each rep to shorten the pull.
- Bouncing your torso to launch the bar with your hips.
- Rounding your lower back as you tire.
Worth knowing
- Holding the bent-over position is half the exercise and the first thing to fail. End the set when your back angle starts creeping upward.
General guidance, not medical advice. See how Setkit works.
Notes
The barbell row is two exercises under one name. It is a heavy pull for the upper back and lats, and it is a long hold for the hamstrings, glutes and the muscles along your spine that lasts the entire set. Doing both jobs at once is why it appears in nearly every serious strength program, and why it tires you out more than the weight on the bar suggests.
The hold is the honest part. Anyone can row a heavy bar by standing halfway up and heaving it. Keeping your torso fixed near horizontal while the bar travels is what makes this a back exercise rather than a bad deadlift. Pick the weight your hold can keep, not the weight your arms can move.
If the bent-over position gives out before your back has done its work, that is useful information rather than a problem. Build it with Romanian deadlifts and lighter rows, or move your heavy pulling to the supported dumbbell row while it catches up.