Barbell Row. Image credit: Glenn Pendlay

Barbell Rows are hard. Not as hard as Squats or Deadlifts, but certainly harder than the Bench Press. When you get stronger on the Barbell Row, you’ll often see your strength increase on other strength training exercises.

Barbell Rows are the best exercise to train your upper-back. Unfortunately the Barbell Row is often done with incorrect technique. This article will teach you how to perform the Barbell Row with proper technique.

What’s a Barbell Row? Pull the barbell from the floor to your chest while extending your hips. Done. Variations of the Barbell Row:

• Pendlay Row. Pendlay Rows involve arching of your upper-back.
• Reverse-grip Row. Using an underhand grip. Works biceps more.

The barbell starts & ends on the floor on each rep, just like Deadlifts & Pendlay Rows. Mark Rippetoe supports this Barbell Row technique in Starting Strength 2nd Edition. Here’s a video of the Barbell Row.

Benefits of Barbell Rows. Barbell Rows are a tough exercise that will often get you dizzy when using heavy weights. However they’re worth the effort.

• Back Strength. Barbell Rows strengthen your upper-back. You need upper-back strength for Squats & Deadlifts. The Overhead Press & Bench Press are the opposite movement of the Barbell Row. Get stronger at Barbell Rows & you’ll get stronger on your other lifts.
• Builds Muscle. Upper-back & arms pull the weight to your chest. Trunk muscles including lower back stabilize the weight. Hip muscles build momentum at the start of the Barbell Row to get the weight up.

Bar on The Floor. The bar starts & ends on the floor on each rep. The bar doesn’t hang from the arms between reps. Two reasons:

• More Strength. You can build momentum by using your hip muscles. This helps your upper-back muscles lift more weight than if you’d start the Barbell Row from a dead hang at the arms.
• More Muscle. You’re using your upper-back & arms but also hip muscles.

Hip Extension. Extending your hips builds momentum, helping your upper-back & arms lift more weight. Using too much hip extension turns the Barbell Row into a partial Deadlift, killing the purpose of the Barbell Row.

Your upper-back is most worked when your torso is parallel to the floor. Don’t overdo the hip extension. Weight increases on Barbell Rows must be the result of strength increases, not of a more advantageous technique.

Barbell Row Setup. The bar starts & ends on the floor on each rep. Keep your lower back straight & your chest up.

• Foot Stance. Foot stance on the Barbell Row is same as for the Deadlift: about shoulder-width apart.
• Bar Position. Put the bar directly under your shoulder-blades. Over your feet, close to your body.
• Grip Width. Same as for Bench Press: about 55-71cm/22-28″. Forearms perpendicular to the floor when the bar touches your chest.
• Grip. Put the bar close to your fingers, not in the palm of your hands. This minimizes callus formation.
• Head Position. Looking forward will hurt your neck. Looking down will make your back bend. Look at the floor in front of you.
• Knees. Keep your knees almost straight but unlocked at the start of the Barbell Row. Hips move, knees don’t.

Barbell Row. Image credit: Glenn Pendlay

The Barbell Row. Get the bar off the floor with straight arms by extending your hips. Pull your elbows to the ceiling, slamming the bar against your chest.

• Breathing. Take a big breath before pulling the weight to your chest. Breathe on the floor between reps.
• Hip Extension. Don’t extend your hips too much. Your back shouldn’t rise much higher then where it was at the start of the Barbell Row.
• Elbows Back. Don’t pull with your hands. Pull your elbows to the ceiling. Try to make your shoulder-blades touch & open your chest.
• Bar Against Chest. Pull the bar against your lower chest, not to your stomach. Pull it against the xiphoid process.

Common Errors. The bar starts on the floor on each rep. Don’t overdo the hip extension. Don’t try to hold the bar against your chest. Don’t try to return the bar slowly to the floor.

• Bar Too Far Away. Keep the bar close to your body. Put the bar over your feet, straight under your shoulder-blades.
• Back Going Vertical. It’s not a Deadlift. Your upper-back should do the work, not your hips. Lower the weight if you extend your hips too much.
• Dropping the Chest. You’ll drop your chest to meet the bar when the weight gets heavy. Lower the weight when this gets excessive.
• Extending the Knees. Use hip extension on the way up, but no knee extension. Keep your knees unlocked but straight.