How to do the bent over row
The classic bent-over row for building back muscle: a held hinge, an overhand or underhand grip, and a slow lowering. Suits anyone who can already hip hinge.
The Helthy team · Updated · 7 min read
- Works
- Lats, Upper back
- Also works
- Biceps, Rear delts, Lower back
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Intermediate
The bent-over row is the back builder that bodybuilders have used for decades: bend forward, hold that position for the whole set, and row a barbell to your lower chest. What makes it hard has less to do with the pull than with staying bent over while you do it. This guide covers the classic version with a choice of grip and a slower tempo, aimed at building muscle. For the strict overhand version geared to heavier sets, see the barbell row.
How to do a bent-over row
- Stand tall with the bar against your thighs. Deadlift it from the floor or take it off a rack at mid-thigh height. Feet go about hip-width apart, toes pointing forward or turned out slightly.
- Choose your grip. Overhand with your hands just outside shoulder width is the default. Underhand, at about shoulder width, is the other classic option (more on the choice below).
- Hinge forward to about 45 degrees. Soften your knees and push your hips straight back, letting the bar slide down your thighs until it hangs just above or at your knees. Stop when your torso is roughly halfway to parallel with the floor, with your back flat.
- Brace your core and set your shoulders. Breathe in, tighten your stomach, and pull your shoulders slightly away from your ears. Arms stay straight.
- Row toward your lower chest. Lead with your elbows and pull until the bar touches your body. With an overhand grip that's around the bottom of your sternum; underhand, it lands an inch or two lower, near the bottom of your rib cage.
- Pause for a one-count. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. If you can't pause for a second at the top, the weight is too heavy for this style.
- Lower over two to three seconds. Stop when your arms are straight and you feel a stretch across your upper back, then go again. The bar never touches the floor between reps.
When it's working, you'll feel the middle of your back and the sides of your lats doing the work, with your hamstrings and lower back quietly holding the position.
Overhand or underhand?
Overhand works more of your upper back and rear delts, and it's easier on the elbows. Underhand keeps your elbows closer to your sides, which brings in more lower lats and biceps, and many lifters find they can hold a strict hinge more easily with it.
We'd default to overhand and use underhand as the second row of the week, or for lighter sets. The reason: with a heavy underhand pull, the biceps sit in a vulnerable, stretched position if a rep goes wrong. Plenty of lifters do underhand rows for years without trouble, but if your elbows or the front of your arms ache afterwards, switch to overhand.
Cues that keep the hinge
"Shut a car door with your hips." Imagine your hands are full and you're bumping a door closed behind you. That's a hip hinge, and it gets you into position without rounding your back.
"Table-top back." Your back should be flat enough to balance a glass of water on (a tilted table, since you're at 45 degrees). It's an easy picture to check in a side-on mirror or phone video.
"Elbows toward your back pockets." People who can't feel their lats usually pull the bar up toward their neck, with the elbows flaring out. Aiming the elbows back and slightly in toward your hips brings the bar to your lower chest and puts the lats in charge.
"Stay heavy in your heels." If your weight drifts onto your toes, the bar pulls you forward and your back starts to round. Keeping pressure through your mid-foot and heels stops that.
Common mistakes
Swinging your body. Your torso rocks up as the bar rises and dips down as it lowers, so you look like a nodding dog. Usually the weight is simply too heavy, or you're trying to hit a rep target at any cost. A bent-over row with a lot of swing is a partial deadlift with an arm curl at the end. Take 10 to 20% off the bar and hold the angle.
Rounding your back. You see a hunch in the lower or middle back, often with the head poking down toward the floor. The two usual causes are locked knees, which let your hamstrings drag your pelvis into a tuck, and a lost brace late in a set. Keep your knees soft, rebrace between reps, and stop the set when the position goes.
Yanking the bar off the bottom. The rep starts with a jolt, the bar flies up, and then it drops back down. That jerk hits your lower back and your elbows at the worst moment, when your arms are fully stretched. Start each rep smoothly by squeezing your shoulder blades back first, then pulling with your arms.
Cranking your neck to watch the mirror. Looking up at yourself pinches the back of your neck and tends to lift your chest out of the hinge. Look at the floor a few feet ahead, and film a set from the side if you want to check your form.
Standing up a little more each set. By the last set, the 45-degree hinge has quietly become 70. The bar has less distance to travel, so it feels stronger, but it's turned into a shrug. Check your angle on your last set, not just your first.
Breathing and bracing
Holding a hinge for 10 or 12 reps is where people lose their brace, so this matters more than on most lifts. Breathe in at the bottom, with the bar hanging, and brace as if you're about to cough. Exhale as you row the bar up, through pursed lips, keeping your stomach tight rather than letting the air out all at once. Then take a fresh breath at the bottom before the next rep. If your lower back feels like it's burning by rep 8, the brace is going, and it's time to end the set.
Sets, reps and how much weight to use
For muscle growth, 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps with the pause and slow lowering is the sweet spot for this version. For more strength, 3 to 5 sets of 6 to 8 with a quicker lowering works well. Choose a weight you could do two or three more reps with, while still pausing at the top. Rest about two minutes between sets.
The pause is the honest test: if you can't hold the bar against your body for a second, the weight is too heavy. It makes the load lower than you might expect, which is fine. Your back gets the work either way, and your lower back takes less of a beating.
Start with the empty bar, 45 lb (20 kg), for a set of 10 to rehearse the hinge, then one or two lighter sets before your working weight. Progress by adding reps first, from 8 up to 12 across all your sets, then add 5 lb (2.5 kg) and drop back to 8. The progressive overload guide explains why this works when adding weight every session stops working.
| Bodyweight | beginner | intermediate | advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 40 lb (18 kg) | 70 lb (32 kg) | 110 lb (50 kg) |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 50 lb (23 kg) | 90 lb (41 kg) | 135 lb (61 kg) |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 55 lb (25 kg) | 105 lb (48 kg) | 160 lb (73 kg) |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 65 lb (29 kg) | 120 lb (54 kg) | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| 250 lb (113 kg) | 75 lb (34 kg) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 215 lb (98 kg) |
These numbers are for strict reps. With a pause at the top, expect to be somewhat under them, which says more about the tempo than your strength.
Variations and alternatives
- Seated cable row: no hinge to hold, so it's the best choice when your lower back is tired or sore.
- Dumbbell row: your free hand on a bench supports your torso. Good for higher reps and for a weaker side.
- T-bar row: a similar hinge with a neutral close grip. The fixed bar path makes it easier to stay strict.
- Barbell row: the strict overhand row done a little heavier.
- Pendlay row: torso parallel to the floor and a dead stop on the floor every rep. Harder on your hips and hamstrings, but you can't swing it.
Bent-over row questions
Is the bent-over row bad for your lower back?
Not for most people, as long as your back stays flat and the weight lets you hold the hinge. Your lower back works hard to keep the position, which is part of the training effect. If a sore back is already stopping you from hinging comfortably, use a chest-supported or seated row for a few weeks. If it still hurts after a week of lighter loads, get it looked at.
How far should I bend over?
Around 45 degrees is a good default. Flatter than that gives you a longer pull and more upper-back work, but it's harder to hold. More upright lets you use more weight, but past about 60 degrees much of the work moves to your upper traps.
Can I do bent-over rows with dumbbells?
Yes. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other, and use the same hinge and elbow path. It's a good option at home or when the barbells are taken, though your lower back works just as hard as it does with a bar.