How to do a Bent Over Barbell Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Bent Over Barbell Row
Workouts with Bent Over Barbell Row
Instructions for Proper Form
Bent Over Barbell row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders, traps, and biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement compared to something like dumbbells which can help you focus on exerting strength rather than stabilizing the movement. It’s a great exercise for building strength, and can be a way to start learning more advanced exercises like Olympic Lifts.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out with a loaded barbell on the ground next to your shins.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing your abdomen before hinging the hips backward and flexing your knees to allow your extended arms to reach the barbell.
- Grab ahold the barbell with your palms facing towards your body and then extend your hips until the barbell reaches knee height.
- Maintain this position as you flex your elbows past your sides at 45 degrees to your torso and touch the barbell just above the belly button.
- Lower the barbell back to knee height and repeat the allotted repetitions.
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Overusing Biceps
It’s very common to over recruit biceps on this exercise. Focus on driving your elbows back rather than bringing the weight towards your chest. This will help you recruit your back, and make this exercise more effective.
Bent Over Barbell Row is also known as:
- BB Row
Which bar do you use for bent over row?
For bent-over rows, you can use a barbell, EZ curl bar, T-bar, or trap bar. A barbell allows heavy lifting and bilateral engagement, while an EZ curl bar reduces wrist strain. A T-bar offers a neutral grip and is easier on the wrists and shoulders. A trap bar provides a different angle and is easier on the lower back. Choose based on your comfort, wrist health, and training goals.
What angle should a barbell row be?
Your torso should be at about a 45-degree angle to the ground. This position effectively targets the upper and middle back muscles while minimizing strain on the lower back. Adjust the angle slightly if needed for comfort and to maintain proper form.
What grip is best for bent over barbell row?
A shoulder-width overhand grip (pronated) is generally best for bent-over rows. This grip effectively targets the upper and middle back muscles, including the rhomboids, traps, and rear deltoids. For variation, an underhand grip (supinated) can be used to emphasize the biceps and lower lats.
Is Bent Over Barbell Row better than Dumbbell Row?
Barbell rows allow for heavier lifting and engage more stabilizing muscles, promoting overall back strength and mass. Dumbbell rows offer a greater range of motion, help correct muscle imbalances, and put less strain on the lower back. Both exercises are beneficial, and incorporating both into your routine can provide balanced development and comprehensive back strength.
Common Form Mistakes
Don’t Use Momentum
Extending your lower back can help you move more weight by recruiting additional muscle groups to help you build momentum. Keep your torso stable by engaging your core, and limit your movement to the desired exercise. You may need to reduce your weight to maintain proper form.
Back Flat
Keeping your back flat is essential to maintaining proper form with this exercise. It’s very common to see your back start to round as you become fatigued. Focus on keeping your core engaged, and shoulders back.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Bent Over Barbell Row standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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- beginner8reps45lbs1 Rep Max55lbs
- intermediate8reps60lbs75lbs
- advanced8reps75lbs95lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Bent Over Barbell Row
1. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 17,633 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
2. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 17,626 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
3. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 14,814 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
- Back
- Lat Pulldown
4. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 12,544 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
5. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 8,956 TIMESLike other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. Unlike other variations, using a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is excellent exercise for learning or practicing the movement of a seated row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Row Machine
6. Smith Machine Bent Over Row
90.9 mSCORESWAPPED 6,173 TIMESThis exercise is a Smith Machine variation on Bent Over Row. Like the standard version, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. Using a Smith Machine restricts your range of motion, and adds significantly more stability to the movement. This is a great variation to learn and improve your Bent Over Row.
- Beginner
- Back
- Smith Machine
7. Hammerstrength Iso Row
93 mSCORESWAPPED 5,409 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is fairly similar to other seated rows, however the Hammerstrength Machine will restrict your range of motion to an arc, rather than a straight line. The machine also adds stability to the movement, which allows you to focus your attention on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
8. Hammerstrength High Row
91.5 mSCORESWAPPED 5,017 TIMESHammerstrength High Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This movement is somewhere in between a Lat Pull Down and a Seated Row. The Hammerstrength Machine helps restrict your range of motion by moving on a set path, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is a great exercise for building strength, and the use of a machine allows you to focus more of your efforts on exertion rather than form.
- Beginner
- Back
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
9. T-Bar Row
81.2 mSCORESWAPPED 4,037 TIMEST-Bar Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back but also engages the shoulders and biceps. By using a T-Bar, you have a more stable grip and can lift heavier weights compared to other row variations. The fixed bar path helps maintain proper form, making this exercise a great choice for building back strength and muscle mass.
- Intermediate
- Back
- T Bar
10. Incline Dumbbell Row
90.5 mSCORESWAPPED 4,020 TIMESThis is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. It’s a variation on the more standard Bent Over Row, that uses an incline bench to stabilize your upper body. This added stability ensures that you can't assist yourself by recruiting other muscle groups. The added stability also allows you to focus on moving the weight rather than stabilizing your upper body in the right position.