How to do a Trap Bar Bent Over Row
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Trap Bar Bent Over Row
Trap Bar
Workouts with Trap Bar Bent Over Row
Instructions for Proper Form
Like other Bent Over Row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. This variation gives you the stability of using a single piece of equipment like a barbell variation, while keeping the weight inline with your center of mass. This is a great variation if you’ve been struggling with the barbell variation, of if you’re looking to add a little more variety to your back days.
- Stand upright inside the trap bar with your feet shoulder width apart while grabbing the handles of the trap bar so that your hands are facing inward. Bend your hips backward to create a 45 degree angle with your torso keeping your knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows up past your sides bringing the trap bar up to hip height. Controllably return to the starting position.
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Over Recruiting Biceps
While your biceps should be involved, you should be feeling a majority of the tension in your back. Try focusing on driving your elbow back instead of bringing the weight towards your chest. This mindset shift will help you recruit the proper muscle groups for this exercise.
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.
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Average Trap Bar Bent Over Row standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Trap Bar Bent Over Row
1. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 1,215 TIMESBent 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.
2. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 672 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.
3. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 660 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.
4. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 592 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.
5. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 510 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
6. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 493 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
7. Smith Machine Bent Over Row
90.9 mSCORESWAPPED 491 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
8. Incline Dumbbell Row
90.5 mSCORESWAPPED 459 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.
9. T-Bar Row
81.2 mSCORESWAPPED 448 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. Gorilla Rows
80.1 mSCORESWAPPED 360 TIMESGorilla Rows are a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders, biceps, and traps. By alternating sides after each rep, you give your muscles a brief moment to recover in the middle of your set, while also allowing you to focus your attention on the side that’s performing the movement. The posture this exercise puts you in can help you develop functional strength outside of just the rowing movement as well.
- Intermediate
- Back
- Kettlebells