How to do barbell rows

1) Preparation

Let’s first start with how to best set up for a barbell row. You’ll quickly find that this step will vary depending on your height and goals.

Foot Position

First, adjust your foot position to be slightly wider than your hips. Generally, your feet should be positioned narrower than shoulder width.
You can experiment; taller people tend to be better suited to a wider position.
You can also rotate your feet slightly outward if this makes you feel more comfortable. The bar should rest in your mid-foot to toe area while you are lying prone.

Grip Position (Grip Width)

Now it’s time to grip the bar. Generally, the grip width should be just outside your knees. You’ll need to explore the size of your grip based on your training goals and what feels most comfortable.
The wide-grip barbell row both pulls the bar higher and closer to your sternum while also opening the joint further apart.
Therefore, the resulting greater lateral extension will work more of the trapezius, rear deltoid, and upper back muscles.

On the other hand, a narrower grip allows you to pull the bench lower to your belly button and bring your elbows closer to your sides.
Therefore, the greater shoulder extension engagement will put your lats in a more mechanically favorable position. You’ll prioritize lat development in this version.

Underhand or Overhand Grip

Should you choose an overhand or underhand grip? The underhand grip barbell row allows you to bring your joints closer to your sides. You’ll prioritize your lats more, but this enhanced engagement comes at the expense of better biceps activation.

I have two suggestions, depending on your personal training goals.

• 1. You want to prioritize specific muscles – perform a variation that targets the muscles you want to lift more.
• 2. You want balanced back development – perform a few sets of both variations.

Whatever you do, avoid getting too lean. A grip that’s too narrow will pull your forearms out of the correct position, causing increased stress on your wrist and elbow joints.
However, a grip that’s too wide can cause excessive elbow abduction.

In this article, I’ll continue to use a wider overhand grip, but remember that the same movements and techniques apply no matter which grip variation you choose.

Starting Position

The starting position is probably the most important position when learning how to do a barbell row. You can get into the correct starting position by deadlifting the weights into a standing position. Make sure to keep your back neutral while doing this.

Next, bend your knees slightly and push your hips back while lowering the barbell. You want to stop at a point where the flexibility of your hamstrings prevents you from moving further without arching your back. For most people, this will be around 15 to 45 degrees.

As your flexibility improves and you become more proficient at the barbell row, you can slowly try to get your body more parallel to the ground. The increased continuity of the movement will allow you to work your back better.

Common Starting Position Mistakes

Here are two common mistakes to avoid when getting into the starting position:
Avoid getting too upright; this will emphasize your upper snatch instead of your back. Your bent-over barbell row will essentially turn into a shrug.

When you get too low, your back will arch. As a result, you’ll put a lot of pressure on your lower back.

That’s how you’ll be arranged when you’re in the starting position. Now you’re ready for step two of the barbell row.

2) Rowing (concentric exercise)

First, limit your core by tightening your abs. You can imagine yourself almost hitting your abs.

Then, you need to row the weights upward while imagining pushing your arms up and back. Stop when the bar is about to touch your torso.

As mentioned before, where the bar contacts your body depends on your grip:.

• Narrow-grip, underhand barbell row – The bar should contact your lower body, around your belly button. Your elbows should also be closer to your sides.
• Wide-grip, overhand barbell row – The bar should be closer to your upper body, around your sternum. Your elbows should be at (approximately) a 45-degree angle.

Regardless of which variation you perform, you should always squeeze your shoulder blades together as you row the weights upward. Also, your hips, back, and head should be straight at the top position.

Common Rowing (Concentric) Mistakes

When performing a bent-over barbell row, here are some things to avoid:

• Avoid pulling the bench too high, abducting the joints. If you do this, you will shift stress to your upper grip and put your shoulders at risk.
• When performing a barbell bent-over row, avoid arching your back too much. Instead, keep your chest lifted and your core tight to maintain a neutral back.
• When rowing the weight up, avoid letting your shoulders roll forward; this will cause your shoulders to rotate inward. Instead, lower your weight. Focus on pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Once you’ve rowed the weight up, it’s time to lower back down to the starting position.

3) Descending (eccentric rowing)

– The final step in learning how to do a barbell row. Almost there!

Here you need to keep your core engaged and maintain the position of your hips, back, and head as you lower the weight down. Continue the movement until your arms are straight.
As you lower the weight, you want to allow your shoulder blades to naturally lengthen outward, rather than squeezing them together.
Near the bottom position, you should be triggering your triceps (contracting them) to reduce the involvement of your biceps while maximally activating your back before starting the next rep.

Why? Well, it’s all thanks to a concept called reciprocal inhibition.

Typical (eccentric) rowing mistakes

Here are some things to avoid during the descent of the barbell bent-over row:

• Avoid allowing your back to round and deviate from proper form.
• Avoid simply dropping the weight. You should actively control the eccentric portion of the lift, as this is an important contributor to muscle growth.

After the descent, you have completed one rep of the barbell row. Now you can continue to perform the remaining desired reps in a controlled manner, using the cues I have listed.

Video Constructions – How to Do Barbell Rows

Tips for Barbell Rows

Now that you know how to perform a barbell row with proper form, here are some additional tips you should know as well.

Sets and Reps

To incorporate the barbell row into your routine, I recommend doing 3-4 sets of the exercise and about 8-12 reps. Lift moderate to heavy weights at first.
However, feel free to use larger sets of 10-15 reps and lighter weights if you think this will allow you to better feel the activation of your back muscles.

Lower Back Demands

If the bent-over barbell row is too stressful for your lower back, you can perform the exercise on a rack instead.
Let the weight hang on the rack after each set – this will reduce the amount of work your lower back needs to do.
This change will allow you to work your upper back better – a win-win situation.

It All Depends on Proper Form

There you have it – you now know how to do a barbell row with perfect form!

The starting position is probably the most important when learning how to do a barbell row. When you stand too low, your back will be rounded. As a result, there will be a lot of stress on your lower back. Don’t let your shoulders roll forward as you row the bar; this will cause your shoulders to rotate inward. Focus on pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.