The barbell row may seem awkward at first, but its benefits become apparent after completing sets at a lightweight. This article provides an explanation of this exercise and other variations for inclusion in training programs. Even if you’re not a bro-split lifter, there are still numerous reasons to incorporate the barbell row into your workouts.
What is the barbell row? And why is it our favorite back exercise?
The barbell row is an excellent back workout and an old-school bodybuilding staple for muscular growth.
The bent-over barbell row, known for its ability to help grow mass in the back muscles, enables considerable weight to be moved, with a focus on the posterior chain and back muscular groups.
The barbell is undoubtedly an activity you’ve seen many people perform at the gym or on social media, as it’s a common compound exercise in most people’s training regimens.
This exercise, also known as the bent-over barbell row, is a complex movement that is most effective for increasing muscle strength, size, and power in the back and arm muscles, as well as strengthening core and trunk stability.
The barbell row, as well as the other row variations, are excellent exercises for improving grip strength and forearm strength.
What are the benefits of the barbell row?
Now that we have a basic grasp of the barbell row workout, let us look at the benefits.
This is an excellent exercise for developing your back’s strength and size. Aside from these perhaps more evident results, there are numerous advantages to including back-strengthening exercises.
These benefits include:
- Improved posture
- Increased spine stability.
- Help relieve or avoid back discomfort.
Barbell Row: Muscles Worked
It is a compound exercise that engages various muscles, with the primary emphasis on the back and biceps.
The primary muscles used during the exercise are
- Rhomboids
- Latissimus Dorsi.
- Trapezius (middle or lower)
- Erector Spinae.
Along with these major muscles in the back, the barbell row strengthens the trunk/core, biceps, and supporting muscles in the lower body.
It is an excellent exercise for gaining size and strength, as well as injury prevention and posterior chain improvement because it engages several muscle groups and joints.
Barbell Row Form
The barbell row may appear simple, but there are essential aspects to assist you in attaining safe and ideal form, which will help you lay strong foundations for when you begin to develop in strength and confidence.
How to Bend Over Barbell Rows
- To begin, hold the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width. The barbell can be deadlifted from the floor or lifted from a low rack, standing tall and placing the bar against your upper thighs with straight arms.
- Retract your scapula (shoulders), gently bend your knees, and hinge your hips such that your chest is just above parallel to the floor (approximately 45 degrees). Keep your scapula retracted, your back neutral, and your chest proud.
- Now that you’re in a safe row position, tense your back muscles and use your arms to draw the bar up to the crease of your hips.
- Maintain a stable stance and focus on the row action at a consistent tempo throughout the rep. It may be tempting to look in the mirror here, but maintain a natural gaze to avoid stressing your neck and spine.
What are the barbell row variations?
Now that we understand the barbell row, a fundamental back training exercise, it’s time to explore other modifications to keep our training interesting.
Bent-Over Barbell Row Variations:
- Reverse Grip Barbell Row.
- Pendlay Row
- Barbell Upright Row
Please keep in mind that strong traps will benefit all of these row movements. Please refer to our post on the finest trap workouts.
The Reverse Grip Barbell Row
The reverse grip barbell row requires the same body position as the standard bent-over. However, in this form, you employ an underhand grip with your hands facing up.
A reverse grip is ideal for beginners learning the barbell row action or those wishing to focus on their forearm and grip strength.
Muscles worked.
The muscles exercised in the reverse grip barbell row are comparable to those in the bent-over barbell row, with an emphasis on activation of the biceps and lats.
How to Perform a Reverse Grip Barbell Row
- Hold the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, palms facing forwards.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge your hips to bring your torso parallel to the ground while keeping a neutral spine.
- Squeeze your back muscles, bend your elbows, and pull the bar towards your belly button.
- Slowly return your arms to the initial position. This repeat counts as one rep.
The Pendlay Row
The Pendlay row is like the standard bent-over barbell row, with only a few notable modifications that justify its name.
Rather than starting the row with the bar hanging, the Pendlay row begins and ends each rep with the barbell back on the groundโthis reduces the possibility of cheating, or using momentum from your legs to help move the weight, putting more emphasis on the working muscles across a narrower range of motion.
How To Do The Pendlay Row
The Pendlay row is essentially identical to the bent-over barbell row, with the exception that your torso is parallel to the ground, your knees are slightly bent, and the barbell touches the floor before each rep.
- Begin with the barbell on the ground and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place your hands on the bar with a little wider-than-shoulder overhand grip, keeping your torso parallel to the ground and your knees bent.
- From here, with a braced core, do an explosive action to get the barbell up to the belly button area before controlling it back down to the floor.
The Pendlay row requires a neutral spine and supple knees while restricting propulsion from the legs or lower back, focusing the lift on the back.
Muscles Worked
Although the muscles used in the bent-over barbell row are quite similar, the nature of the activity may aid in the development of strength and power when compared to the standard barbell row.
The main muscles used in the Pendlay row are
- Rhomboids
- Latissimus Dorsi.
- Trapezius (middle or lower)
- Erector Spinae.
The Barbell Upright Row
The barbell upright row sounds similar to the row; however, its aim and target muscle regions differ.
The barbell upright row, as the name implies, uses a different bar route than conventional row exercises and is an activity designed to focus more on the muscle groups in your upper back, such as your traps and shoulders, than the regular barbell exercises.
Muscles worked.
With the barbell traveling upwards rather than towards the body, this technique emphasizes the muscles used to lift objects up and above our shoulders.
As a result, the primary muscles addressed during the barbell upright row are
- Trapezius
- Side Delts.
SummaryโChoosing the Best Exercise for You
Each of the following barbell row variations stimulates similar muscle groups, with some focusing somewhat more on specific muscles than others. Choosing the best barbell row movement for your training should be determined by your skill and objectives.
Strong compound lifts will result in the most significant size and strength gains, but other more isolated motions will assist in strengthening smaller muscle groups as well.
