Bent-Over Row
Pulling weight to the torso from a hip hinge — upper-back and lat strength that balances all the pressing and hunching in daily life.
Also called: barbell row, dumbbell row, db row, single-arm row, one arm row, bent over row with barbell
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Hinge to roughly 45 degrees with a flat back, weight hanging under the shoulders. For single-arm: one knee and hand on a bench.
How to do the Bent-Over Row
- Pull the weight to the lower ribs, leading with the elbow.
- Squeeze the shoulder blade toward the spine at the top.
- Torso stays still — no heaving up to meet the bar.
- Lower fully under control to a long arm.
Bent-Over Row muscles worked
The Bent-Over Row works the lats, upper back and biceps.
Common Bent-Over Row mistakes
- Standing up as you pull (using the lower back as a lever).
- Shrugging the shoulder toward the ear.
- Short pulls that never reach the body.
Scale it
Easier: Chest-supported row on an incline bench, or lighter single-arm rows.
Harder: Heavier load with a strict pause at the top.
Pairs well with
Inverted Row
A horizontal bodyweight pull under a bar or table edge — the pulling twin of the push-up and the on-ramp to pull-ups.
Lat Pulldown
The cable version of the pull-up — same back-building pull, fully adjustable load.
Pull-Up
Pulling your chin over a bar from a dead hang — the benchmark upper-body pull. Chin-ups (palms toward you) are the slightly easier sibling.
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.