Barbell Bent Over Row
HOW TO DO BARBELL BENT OVER ROW
- Stand with your feet under the bar. The barbell should be directly in front of you; your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. Hold onto a barbell with your palms facing down.
- Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the waist while keeping your back straight. It should be almost parallel with the floor.
- Bend over and grab the bar (the starting position). The barbell row starting position should be similar to your deadlift position.
- While keeping your torso stationary, lift the barbell toward you. Lift your chest and straighten your back. Pull the bar against your lower chest.
- When you get to the top, squeeze your back muscles and hold for a few seconds. Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
BARBELL BENT OVER ROW BENEFITS
- The barbell bent-over row is a compound exercise used to develop and strengthen the entire posterior chain, including both the hips and upper back. While most exercises target a specific muscle on the back of the body, this compound exercise targets the entire back every rep.
- This exercise, which is very popular in bodybuilding and power lifting, is very effective for the development of improved muscle strength, endurance and overall body strength. You can add it to your training programs as part of muscle growth and upper body strength training.
The best way to protect your back against injury is to strengthen the muscles that support it.
The erector spinae muscles, also known as spinal erectors, run vertically down your entire back on either side of your spine. These are not muscles you can typically see bulging underneath your skin, as they are below other muscles, yet they still make up a large portion of the posterior chain.
Another benefit of the barbell bent-over row is that it helps increase your upper and lower back strength and reinforces proper spinal control. The bent over row will require you to maintain a hinged position throughout the duration of the movement.
Whenever you perform the movement, your spinal erectors function by helping stabilize the spine. You’ll be using your spinal erectors as you maintain a hip-hinged position and complete every lift. This exercise can also improve your resistance to lumbar flexion under load. Performing bent over rows regularly also protects your spine by working your core, and supports good posture by reducing the risk of injury.
BARBELL BENT OVER ROW – MUSCLES WORKED
BENT OVER BARBELL ROW VARIATIONS
These alternatives exercises are all effective ways to stimulate and work similar muscle groups that the Bent Over Row would hit. Try adding these variations of the Bent Over Row into your training to keep workout fun and varied.
