Bent Over Barbell Row
Bent Over Barbell Row trades complexity for pulling strength and back density, and it pairs well with a heavy row.
How to do Bent Over Barbell Row
- Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Bent Over Barbell Row Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Bent Over Barbell Row Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Using body english to move weight the back cannot
Lock the torso angle and let only the arms travel.
Letting the last set decay into a different exercise
End the set when the pattern changes, not when the reps run out.
Easier and Harder Than Bent Over Barbell Row
Swap Bent Over Barbell Row For
Bent Over Barbell Row — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Bent Over Barbell Row?
Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position. Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Bent Over Barbell Row work?
The Bent Over Barbell Row primarily targets the upper back. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Bent Over Barbell Row should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Bent Over Barbell Row good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic back patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Bent Over Barbell Row?
Try the Cable Rope Crossover Seated Row, Kettlebell Alternating Renegade Row or the Band One Arm Standing Low Row. Each trains the upper back with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
