How to Do the Bent Over Barbell Row

Beginner · Barbell · Targets Middle Back, Biceps, Lats, Shoulders

Bent Over Barbell Row demonstration
💪 Middle Back, Biceps, Lats, Shoulders🏋️ Barbell📊 Beginner🏷️ Strength

How to perform it

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

The Bent Over Barbell Row primarily targets your Middle Back, with support from your Biceps, Lats, Shoulders. You'll need barbell.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Bent Over Barbell Row slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.