Barbell Row

Primary muscle group
Back
Equipment
Barbell
Movement type
Compound
Where
Gym

How to do Barbell Row

Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips to grip the barbell with hands just outside shoulder width. Keep your back flat, knees slightly bent, and torso roughly parallel to the floor with the bar hanging at arm's length.

How to do it

  1. Pull the bar to your lower ribcage by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together
  2. Keep your core braced and torso angle consistent throughout the movement
  3. Lower the bar under control until your arms are fully extended
  4. Lead with your elbows rather than pulling with your hands
  5. Think about pulling the bar into your body, not lifting it upward

Watch out for

  • Standing too upright and turning the movement into an upright row instead of maintaining the hip hinge
  • Using momentum by jerking the torso up and down rather than keeping it stable
  • Flaring the elbows out to the sides instead of pulling them back along the torso

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