Teknikintermediate
Barbell row: technique step by step
Build your back with control — torso angle, bar path, and why you should not heave with your body.
Setup
- Hinge forward with a nearly horizontal torso (pendlay style) or about 45 degrees (classic style). Spine neutral, knees slightly bent.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. Overhand grip is standard; an underhand grip trains more biceps and lets you pull lower toward the stomach.
- Brace your abs and lats — the torso angle should not change during the set.
The movement
- Pull the bar toward your lower chest/stomach — elbows back, not flared out.
- Think about pulling with your elbows, not your hands, and squeeze the shoulder blades at the top.
- Lower with control until the arms are straight, without the spine position changing.
Common mistakes
- Body heaving: standing the torso up to get the weight moving turns the row into a mini-deadlift. Lower the weight and keep the angle constant.
- Too short a range: the bar should travel from straight arms to body contact.
- Rounded back: same principle as in the deadlift — neutral spine all the way.
Variations
Supported dumbbell rows take the load off the lower back and suit a tired back; seated cable rows give even tension through the whole movement.