Bent-Over Row
A barbell row that builds thickness through the mid-back — the horizontal counterpart to the vertical pull-up pattern.
Set your hip hinge. Feet shoulder width, knees slightly bent, hips pushed back until your torso is roughly 45° from vertical. Keep a flat back, not rounded.
Grip the bar just outside your knees. Let it hang at arm's length to start, shoulder blades relaxed but not slouched. Row to your lower ribs. Pull your elbows back and slightly up, bringing the bar to your lower chest/upper stomach — not your neck.
Squeeze, then lower with control. Pause briefly at the top of the row, then lower the bar with the same control rather than letting it drop.
Rounding the lower back. A rounded back under a loaded barbell is the single highest-risk error in this lift. If you can't keep a flat back, the weight is too heavy or your hip hinge needs work first.
Why it matters
Where the pull-up and pulldown build width, the bent-over row builds thickness — the part of your back that gives it depth, not just span. It's a horizontal pulling pattern, which most lifters do less of than vertical pulling, and an underdeveloped horizontal pull is a common, fixable gap.
It also trains the lower back and core isometrically, since holding the bent-over position under load is its own demand separate from the rowing motion itself.
How to do it
- Set your hip hinge. Feet shoulder width, knees slightly bent, hips pushed back until your torso is roughly 45° from vertical. Keep a flat back, not rounded.
- Grip the bar just outside your knees. Let it hang at arm's length to start, shoulder blades relaxed but not slouched.
- Row to your lower ribs. Pull your elbows back and slightly up, bringing the bar to your lower chest/upper stomach — not your neck.
- Squeeze, then lower with control. Pause briefly at the top of the row, then lower the bar with the same control rather than letting it drop.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back. A rounded back under a loaded barbell is the single highest-risk error in this lift. If you can't keep a flat back, the weight is too heavy or your hip hinge needs work first.
- Standing too upright. A more vertical torso turns the row into a shrug. The 45° hinge is what targets the back correctly.
- Using too much body English. Jerking the torso up to help the pull means momentum, not your back, is moving the weight.
- Rowing to the wrong spot. Pulling the bar to the chest rather than the lower ribs shifts the emphasis away from the mid-back and toward the rear shoulders.
Sets & reps by level
3 sets of 10–12 reps with light weight, prioritizing the hip hinge and flat back over load.
3–4 sets of 8–10 reps at a weight that's genuinely challenging while form stays clean.
4–5 sets of 6–8 reps, sometimes with a pause at the top of each rep to increase time under tension.
Log your next bent-over row session in seconds.
Track sets, reps, and weight without breaking your rest.