How to do bent-over rows to build your back

Why do bent-over rows

There are several reasons to add this great multi-joint exercise to your workouts.

For the development of back muscles

The appearance of your back is determined by several muscle groups: the trapezoid and rear deltas define the top relief, the lats form the lower part.

There are many good back training exercises, but none of them use as much muscle and to the extent as the bent over row.

This exercise involves the middle and lower trapezius muscles, latissimus and infraspinatus muscles, spinal extensors and posterior deltas. In addition, this movement works great for the biceps and strengthens the muscles of the forearms.

If you want to build your back with just one exercise, choose the bent over row.

For the mobility of the hip joints

When doing the deadlift, you lean forward with your back straight, slightly bending your knees. This position stretches the muscles on the back of the thigh and, over time, increases the range of motion.

For good posture

Weak trapezius muscles can be one of the causes of slouching when the shoulders come out and the upper back is rounded.

The bent-over barbell row strengthens the trapezium and deep muscles of the upper back, which has a positive effect on posture.

How to do bent-over rows correctly

How to take the starting position

Place your feet slightly wider than your hips, but narrower than your shoulders, slightly turn your toes to the sides. If you have long legs, you can place your feet even further apart to avoid hitting your knees with the bar while lifting the bar.

Grab the bar with a straight grip somewhere in the palm of your hand wider than your shoulders. Make sure the bar is over the middle of your foot.

Lift the bar off the floor and straighten your hip and knee joints. Pull your pelvis back, bend your knees slightly and lean forward with your back straight, keeping the bar in outstretched arms.

If, when bending the body at an angle of 45 °, you start to pull the muscles on the back of the thigh, work in this position. With greater mobility of the hip joints, you can tilt the body almost to parallel with the floor. The main thing is that your lower back does not round out at the bottom point.

Keep your neck in a straight line with your back, look at the floor in front of you.

How to make movement correctly

Tighten your abs as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach. This will help maintain the rigidity of the body and protect the lower back from overload.

Bend your elbows, pull them back and up, and touch your abdomen with the bar. Smoothly and under control, lower the bar to its original position and repeat.

In the lifting phase, bring the shoulder blades together, while lowering, return them to their natural position.

Mistakes to Avoid When Performing Bent-Over Rows

Widely spaced elbows

If you are working with a straight grip, the shoulders are no more than 45 ° away from the body. When using the reverse grip, the elbows are even closer to the body and go clearly back.

Rounded back

Tighten your abs and keep your lower back in a neutral position. Especially in the last heavy sets.

Shoulders twisted forward

At the top of the exercise, you can automatically twist your shoulders forward to pull the bar to your body. This can be dangerous for your shoulder ligaments, so if you can't keep your shoulders in place, grab a lighter barbell.

Using too much weight

If you have to sway and jerk your back to lift weights, you've overdone the barbell pancakes. Reduce your weight and stay tuned to your technique.

How to do bent-over rows for different purposes

By varying your grip, bar trajectory, and working speed, you can shift the focus to specific muscle groups and develop different physical qualities.

To pump up a trapezoid

So that most of the load goes to the trapezius muscles, grab the bar with a straight grip wider than your shoulders. Pull the bar towards your diaphragm or upper abdomen, bring your shoulder blades together in the lift phase, and keep your shoulders at a 45 ° angle to your body.

To enlarge the latissimus dorsi

Grasp the bar with a reverse grip shoulder-width apart and pull the bar towards your stomach at about belly button level. Keep in mind that with this performance, part of the load will go to the biceps.

To pump strength and power

If you want to develop muscle strength and power, try the Pendlay Row, named after weightlifting coach Glenn Pendley.

In this version, you bend down to parallel with the body with the floor, perform the deadlift sharply and powerfully, touch the lower chest with the bar, and return the barbell to the platform each time.

This variation allows you to handle heavy weights and pumps the power of the upper back - develops the ability to lift large weights as quickly as possible. It also eliminates cheating when you start out with a good lean, and as fatigue increases, you lift your torso higher and higher.

But as shoulder strength increases from the lower back to the barbell, the Pendley deadlift puts a lot of stress on the lower back. Therefore, if you are a beginner, have problems with the spine, or simply cannot keep your back straight in this position, forget about this variation and do the classic bent over row.

How to add bent-over rows to your program

This is a rather difficult multi-joint exercise that loads not only the muscles, but also the central nervous system. Therefore, if you want to properly pump your back, do bent over rows in the first half of your workout.

Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 times. Pick the weight so that the last repetitions are heavy, but you can still complete them without swinging and lifting the body.

Do a barbell row in an incline 1-2 times a week, alternating with other back exercises: pull-ups, a dumbbell row with a bench support, and a block trainer pull to the chest and abdomen. Changing movements will help to evenly pump all muscle fibers and ensure constant progress.