Barbell row form guide

The 3 most common mistakes

• 01

  Standing up between reps.

  If your torso rises with the bar, it's a half-deadlift. The row works best when the hinge angle stays put.

• 02

  Pulling the bar to your chest instead of your stomach.

  Chest pulls flare the elbows and stress the shoulders. Aim lower — belly button or just above.

• 03

  Letting the bar swing forward in the bottom.

  If the bar is in front of your shoulders, your lats can't engage properly. Keep the bar close.

The 3 cues that fix most of them

• 01

  Hips back, chest down — find the position and stay there.

  Torso roughly 45 degrees, hinge from the hips. Lock it in and don't bob up and down.

• 02

  Pull the bar to your belly button.

  Drive elbows behind your body. Bar comes to the lower half of your stomach, not your chest.

• 03

  Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.

  A clean pause-and-squeeze at the top is more important than the weight on the bar.

Step by step setup

1. 01Stand with the bar over the middle of your foot, feet shoulder-width.
2. 02Hinge at the hips and bend the knees slightly. Grip just outside your legs, overhand or mixed.
3. 03Stand the bar up briefly to set position. Hinge back to about 45 degrees torso angle.
4. 04Big breath, brace your core, chest up, eyes 1–2 metres ahead.
5. 05Pull the bar in a controlled arc to your mid-stomach. Elbows go back and just slightly out.
6. 06Squeeze your upper back hard at the top. Pause briefly.
7. 07Lower with control to just off the floor — or to the floor between reps (Pendlay variant).

Muscles worked

Primary

Lats, Rhomboids, Mid-traps

Secondary

Biceps, Rear delts, Spinal erectors, Core, Forearms

Beginner tips

• Keep your torso angle constant. If it moves, the weight is too heavy.
• The Pendlay row (touch the floor each rep) helps reset form between reps. Useful for fixing rhythm.
• Dumbbell rows are a fine alternative — one arm at a time, less low-back fatigue.