Exercise library / Middle back
Bent Over Barbell Row
- Main muscles
- Middle back
- Also works
- Biceps, Lats, Shoulders
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound · Pull
How to do it
- 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.
- 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.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Quick answers
- What muscles does the Bent Over Barbell Row work?
- Mainly the middle back, with help from the biceps, lats, shoulders.
- What equipment do I need?
- Barbell.
- Is it good for beginners?
- Yes, it is rated beginner level.
- How do I track progress on it?
- Log each set and beat the weight or reps from last time. Liftrung shows your last set beside the next one and estimates your one-rep max from your sets.
More middle back exercises
- Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
- Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row
- Incline Bench Pull
- Lying Cambered Barbell Row
- One-Arm Long Bar Row
- Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows
Exercise descriptions: free-exercise-db, public domain.