Bent-Over Row: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The bent-over row works your middle back as the main mover, pulling your shoulder blades together as you row the bar to your torso. Your lats and shoulders help draw your arms back, and your biceps bend your elbows, building a stronger, more muscular back.
- Primary muscle:
- Middle back
- Secondary muscles:
- Biceps, Lats, Shoulders
Muscles worked
Your middle back does most of the work in the bent-over row, squeezing your shoulder blades together each time you pull the bar to your torso.
Your lats and shoulders help pull your upper arms back, and your biceps bend your elbows to bring the bar in. Together these muscles build a thicker, stronger back.
Log Bent-Over Row in PR Streak
PR Streak's library has 873 exercises, each with photos and step-by-step instructions like this one. Log this move and see what you lifted last time right next to every set, with every PR caught automatically and a chart for every exercise.
How to do it
- Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Hinge at your hips with a slight knee bend until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
- Keep your back flat and your head in a neutral position throughout the set.
- Pull the bar to your lower ribs or upper abdomen, leading with your elbows.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of every rep before lowering under control.
- Keep your torso still. Using momentum to heave the bar up takes work away from your back.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the bent-over row work?
The bent-over row targets your middle back, with your lats, shoulders and biceps assisting the pull. It is one of the best exercises for building overall back thickness and strength.
Bent-over row vs seated cable row: what's the difference?
Both work the same muscles: middle back, lats, shoulders and biceps. The bent-over row is done standing and bent forward with a barbell, adding more demand on your lower back and balance, while the seated cable row is done seated and supported.
More middle back exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
