Fysiqal

Horizontal Pull · Intermediate

Bent-Over Barbell Row

Compound horizontal pull exercise using barbell.
Bent-Over Barbell Row demonstration (no audio).
Movement pattern
Horizontal Pull
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Barbell
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Multiplanar

Free account. Log your sets of Bent-Over Barbell Row and each workout shows your best set by estimated 1RM.

Log this exercise & track your 1RM free in Fysiqal →

How to do the Bent-Over Barbell Row

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Hip-hinge to roughly a 45° torso angle, knees soft, spine neutral, and grip the bar pronated at shoulder width.

  1. Let the bar hang at arm's length without rounding your lower back.

  2. Pull the bar to your lower ribs/upper abdomen, driving your elbows back and retracting your shoulder blades at the top — scapular retraction is a deliberate technique for optimal lat engagement, not automatic; the pull completes without it, but retracting the shoulder blades increases the lats' effective force angle.

  3. Lower the bar under control back to arm's length without losing the hip-hinge position.

Common mistakes

  • Standing up (extending the hips) to help move the bar — turns the row into a hip-drive cheat rep instead of a controlled pull.

  • Rounding the lower back under load instead of holding a neutral spine throughout.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Shoulder extensionprimary action

    Latissimus dorsi (prime mover, high emphasis); Teres major (prime mover, high emphasis); Posterior deltoid (synergist, moderate emphasis)

  • Shoulder horizontal abductionprimary action

    Posterior deltoid (prime mover, moderate emphasis); Latissimus dorsi (synergist, moderate emphasis); Infraspinatus (synergist, low emphasis); Teres minor (synergist, low emphasis)

  • Elbow flexionsecondary action

    Brachialis (synergist, moderate emphasis); Biceps brachii (synergist, moderate emphasis); Brachioradialis (synergist, moderate emphasis)

  • Spine extensionsecondary action

    Erector spinae (stabilizer, high emphasis); Multifidus (stabilizer, moderate emphasis)

Related exercises

All horizontal pull exercises →

From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.