Bent Over Barbell Row

Mid backBarbellBeginnerCompound
Bent Over Barbell Row — start position
Start
Bent Over Barbell Row — finish position
Finish
Muscles worked
PrimaryMid back
SecondaryBiceps, Lats, Shoulders

How to do it

  1. 01

    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. 02

    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. 03

    Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

  4. 04

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In the app

Bent Over Barbell Row appears when you own a barbell and the day's window has room for it. Loads come from Rule 3 (Loads rise when earned, read from RPE, graded strong) and climb on the reps you actually did.

If a machine is taken the engine swaps a same-pattern movement and says why.

If you don't have a barbell

Same movement pattern, same primary muscles — swap by what you have.

With bodyweight
With dumbbell
With barbell
With cable
With kettlebell

More mid back exercises

All mid back exercises ›