Barbell Row

Back thickness; mind your lower-back position.

• Compound
• Barbell
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Hinge to about 45°, neutral back
• Pull the bar towards your navel/lower abdomen
• Squeeze your shoulder blades at the end
• Do not use lower-back momentum to lift the weight

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 6–10 reps · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Pull for 1 s to your stomach, lower for 2 s under control; torso braced

Common mistakes

• Rounding your lower back under load
• Using hip momentum (more load that never reaches your back)
• Pulling too high, towards your chest

Muscles worked

Primary

• Back
• Lats

Secondary

• Biceps
• Erectors / lower back
• Traps

Alternatives

• Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
• Pendlay Row
• Chest-Supported Machine Row