How to do Barbell Rows PROPERLY for a Big Back (AVOID MISTAKES!)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ม.ค. 2025
- In this video I'll show you the truth about how to do barbell rows, one of the most commonly performed barbell exercises for big back muscle growth...and one of the upper body exercises that gets performed with bad form the most. I’m going to reveal the different variations of the barbell row and give you a way to determine which version of this popular compound exercise is best for you and your body specifically and avoid common errors.
Many fitness experts will tell you that there is only one way to do an exercise. Realizing that every body type is different from one another and every person has different sorts of muscle tightness and imbalances can make one version of an exercise ideal and one problematic. The bent-over barbell row can be done with an underhand grip, mixed grip, overhand grips (pronated grips), wider grip, neutral grip, narrower grip, etc. The right version of the bent-over barbell row is going to depend on your ability to perform it with proper execution for your desired fitness goals to safely to avoid risk of injury.
If you look at the most popular advice on how to do a bent-over barbell row you will see a variation where your back is held parallel to the ground in a bent-over position at a 90-degree angle throughout this essential movement. The starting position of the bar is resting on the ground and then explosively lifted up to your navel and lowered to the ground. This is called either a standard barbell row or Pendlay rows (named for Glenn Pendlay). While this is definitely one of the variations of barbell rows it is not the version that most should be doing, simply because most body types cannot perform it with proper form.
For instance, if you have tight hamstrings this version of the standard barbell row is going to wreak havoc on your lower back. Even if the hamstrings were loose enough however, there are other issues with this barbell row technique. For one, the bar is encouraged to be lifted higher on the trunk and held away from the body. The increased moment arm will effectively increase the weight that you are lifting and place extra stress in your back as well. Add to this the explosive lifting motion and you have an unpredictable stress in a compromised position that could injure your back in a single rep, especially as fatigue sets in.
As an alternative to this version of the barbell bent-over row, you can keep the explosiveness of the compound movement while raising its safety by doing what I call a barbell dead row. Here, you keep your feet flat and let your legs work together with the back to be more athletic and fluid throughout the entire movement. You can still load up with heavier weights and take the bar from the ground. But with this barbell row form, you just get to raise the trunk a bit at the top so you can be in a stronger and sturdier position for your back every rep.
Beyond that a rule of thumb is that for beginners to weightlifting or when you are just learning how to do a proper barbell row it is smart to start from the top down. Don’t begin the movement from the floor if you don’t even have the requisite muscle strength built up to perform it properly while standing and leaning forward from a 45 degree angle.
In fact, if your only goal is to build your lats with this rowing exercise then I would argue that you could continue to perform it from this correct position without having to pull from the floor. This is especially true if you are already pulling with exercises like the deadlift. The important thing is that the lats will be built from the barbell row and if that is your only goal then you should opt to stay more vertical than the traditional Pendlay row.
If you wish to gain explosive athleticism and build ground-up strength then opt for the barbell dead rows instead. Focus on squeezing the bar to your upper abs while keeping your elbows angled down towards your sides. Contract the triceps at the bottom of every rep to silence the biceps and help to keep them from attempting to dominate the row instead of your lats.
If you are looking for a step by step training program that helps you to get the most out of every exercise you do to build muscle mass, not just the barbell row, head to athleanx.com and get the ATHLEAN-X Training System. Start training like an athlete with a versatile exercise program to build explosive upper and lower body strength while getting ripped and staying ripped year round. For more videos on how to do more pullups and the proper form on rows and other exercises be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube using the link below:
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Is your lower back bothering you? The source of the pain might surprise you, as will the solution and how fast it works! - th-cam.com/video/DWmGArQBtFI/w-d-xo.html
If I am doing this exercise properly and to build muscle mass......how does 3 sets of 6-8 reps work?
2 warm up sets and 3 progressive load bearing sets?
Asking.
Hi Jeff. Just a quick question, this version of barbell row that you show can I incorporate it also for deadlifts? Because I'm very tall and this would help me do deadlift more comfortably. Thanks.
@@MARKIEBANUNCE0
Me: Great workout at the gym today.
Jeff: everything you did was wrong
LOL
😂
Hahaha
He met you in your gym?
This 😬
When you get the feeling Jeff is secretly spying on you at the gym only to correct your form the next day on TH-cam...
Literally did bent over barbbell rows today. Could've sworn he said my name in the vid.
Computer says no same here hehehe
I know, right?? I did barbell rows last night and was thinking the same thing when I saw his video today!
Computer says no no shit right,literally just finished doing these 20 minutes ago
You too?
Saw jeff in my dream and told me I was not sleeping in right form 😂😂😂
nikesh maharjan he told you we’re going to get a hernia I bet.
nikesh maharjan he probably said not to sleep on the right to stop internally rotation
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Ahahahaa
He has a video about that, actually
Straight forward. Mature voice projection. No psuedo bro speak. Expert advice. Do you know how rare this is on you tube? This video really helped me out.
go check mark rippetoe
This entire channel is an amazing resource. His experience as a physiotherapist seems to set him apart from the rest
Sounds like you've seen bro science life
If known this guy approx 12 hours from videos. I already trust him
There’s a reason why he has 10 million subscribers
At 2:12 the way he asked "Then why is okay to do it during a row?" I felt disappointed in myself, and I dont even do it that way LOL
Samir Al-hafzi Said Mohammad Abou What the fuck are you saying😂
@Samir Al-hafzi Said Mohammad Abou Shoarma
Samir Al-hafzi Said Mohammad Abou Dude everything you said made zero sense. That flag is Lebanon, right below turkey. There are zero blacks in Lebanon
HAHA!!! I'm a public speaker, and that's EXACTLY the way I want my listeners to feel when I point out something that doesn't make any sense. 😆
Right?? The look of pure disappointment.
That whole “trying to break the bar in half” tip was actually super helpful for my form, thanks Jeff! My lats are definitely on fire today after a few sets of these
Which shows that it's actually done best with dumbbells, so you can have a 45° angle between upper arm and body (elbows closer to body, not flared out).
Also, would that not tend to activate the biceps, contrary to the cue about turning them off by contracting your triceps?
4:33
Me: "your ribs"
Jeff: "my top row of abs"
when you realise your diet's not on point
Baron_O'Beefdip LMAO
bet he thought about saying ribs too. He probably changed his mind because top row of abs is way more precise
Baron_O'Beefdip your serratus, to be even more precise.
Idk wtf you all talking about but he was thinking the top row of the abs and that’s exactly what it is below the xiphoid process of the sternum
Me: “top of your ab”
Jeff: “top row of abs”.
2:10
Jeff genuinely looks pissed off when asking this rhetorical question haha
Some people were scared
I felt ashamed even though im sitting on my couch :c
He gave me the look of coming to the gym with jeans
I like that Jeff remains consistent in his philosophy of: “Avoid Injury” with proper technique. A year ago I was working out at home but was limited to free weights… now I’m in a public gym focused on new workouts and proper techniques and Jeff remains my Go-To-Gym-Guru. Thnx Jeff!
7:05 - The smoothest trip to the gun show I’ve ever seen someone pull on me.Gotta use that one sometime
Want to win an ATHLEAN-X program for free, no strings attached? Click the link below to find out how!
giveaway.athleanx.com/how-to-win.html
Sounds scammy, did Jeff's account get hacked?
@@DarrenMcStravick Nope, trying to actually legitimately give my subscribers a chance to win my programs. As long as you're already subscribed and have notifications turned on then you should already be set up to have a chance to win. If not, the link above just explains how to do that. Good luck Darren!
@@DarrenMcStravick lol that's what I thought
Odd that no one has ever actually managed to win said programs
Why not use an underhand grip or use a neutral grip bar ?
"Nobody would ever tell you to deadlift from there"
Oh Jeff, you naive soul. You have way too much faith in the average trainer to not be an idiot.
this comment killed me haha!
Fr
Jeff, thank you for making this video. The rows we're killing by lower back and this simple solution and breakdown has helped me get better.
I love how you showed that there is progression in the row. Many other channels would have only shown the rows on the floor. This is my 8th time watching this video and I think I am ready for the dead row thank you Jeff.
Jeff is my favorite power ranger.
Power ranger is my favorite Jeff
Hey
I do this exercises on rack
Other bent over row give me low back pain
?
Geo Gil ....HOW?
My ranger is favourite power Jeff.
Jeff is my favorite color power ranger
Jeff is the Gordon Ramsay of fitness.
Except less loud and nicer.
This analogy is so wrong.
No, Gordon Ramsay is the Athlean X of the culinary world *
Elgintensity is the Gordon Ramsay of fitness.
Maybe fat loss expert Blahino, upon second thought.
I'm afraid Lord and Savior is a title reserved only for Jesus Christ
I broke the bar in half Jeff. Now what?
Noah R.
Now it’s a dumbbell row
row the planets
Turn it into a bicep curl super-set
Poppey, that's your problem, who said you must eat spinach before gym?
Use flex tape
I just went from hating this exercise for years, to it be my favorite thing to do. All in 10 minutes. I've had such bad form on this the whole time. It feels so much better doing it this way.
I agree .
Its the best back exercise BY FAR
every time i watch Jeff's video i think of one funny comment that i saw in one of his video.
it says that Jeff needs to get leaner, so that we can see the motor neurons firing all the way up to his muscles lol
Tsui Ting Sau lmao 😂 literally saw that exact comment, I think it was on a pull-up video. I love reading the comments while educating myself on lifting safely
Great tips
-3:15 Rack Row
Cues:
-bar on rack just below knee,
-bar width---> close to you and hands outside knees
-pull motion--> elbows behind body maximumly (top of row of abs),
-pull motion--> no arm flaring,
-pull motion tip--> when pulling bar "Try Breaking it & Turn" (like screwing elbows/lats into sides)
-pull motion tip--> Turn off bicep: contract biceps at bottom of rep( just the above rack )
-- 8:50 Explosive Barbell Dead row
Thank you!!!! My ADHD is bad
just a small typo there: should be "contract triceps at bottom of rep"
As someone who has a fractured spine i was told by my physiotherapist to do this exercise. Thanks so much man this is helping my confidence in the gym.
Heeman, are you still doing fine?
Literally just finished doing my deadlifts, about to do barbell rows and I get this notification. Are you a magician Jeff?
I just finished a back and leg work out aswell, did some barbell rows and reverse grip barbell rows. I love rows, 1 of my strongest and favorite exercises.
SPL2 it’s very good. It’s smart to do this lift explosively, because there are already many back exercises that are trained in an isolated and controlled manner. Jeff is the KING
Wtf has a phone during a workout!?!?
frickin' everybody....
Same here!
My phone doesn't have enough screen resolution to capture the full definition of Jeff's biceps .
Don't worry dude they working on the new iPhone Jeffx should be out soon lol
@@jamesclare1052 it's called the S20 Ultra
Only 6k ey?
Homie using an Iphone XR
Jeff will teach apple the correct form to define is biceps
I have tried the Barbell row, and I hated it. The workout always ended up getting me hurt. My lower back hurt really bad and it just did not feel right and I felt like i was just killing myself instead of making gains but, I watched this video and It changed the exercise. I now feel better and can do the exercise with minimal or no back pain. Thanks Jeff
This man is a beast. Physically and intellectually.
"The Truth about sex (AVOID MISTAKES!)"
Loool "Don't do it like this, just because everyone says to you, this is how you do it, ill show you a better way" XD
Aj Speedy "you have to focus on the eccentric portion of the pull out"
Jeff’s bicep cracked my screen
Absolutely fantastic. Just tried the row for the first time yesterday, and I don't have the flexibility to do it safely. This advice is just perfect.
These are programmed into my training this coming week, first time I’ve done them. Thank you for the helpful tutorial.
The “break the bar” que was perfect, immediately felt the activation in the lats
At this point in my training, I won’t believe anybody until Jeff has something to say and do provide with a better version.
I had slight lower back pain when doing the Pendlay Row and was curious, coincidentally this video shows up and explains why. Insane, thank you Jeff.
JEFF...MAN I am completely ecstatic over this demo !!
Your demos are technically body built by science !!!
Awesome instructor !!!
Yo I felt mad threatened when Jeff rolled his sleeves back at 7:35
I love how he demonstrates with a decent load to prove his advice works
Jeff risks his body showing us bad form...how can you not love this guy?
I mean it is super light weight for him and he takes care of himself. It's not terrible on him
39990000 likes
@@dacaveman4372 he got a hernia from demonstrating a poor exercise
@@ole3304 shocker 🤣
@@dacaveman4372 you=🤡🤡🤡
Jeff, congrats 4M subs!!
4,8
Nearly five million now.
So he almost at 5mil
Wow, that was a surprisingly fast increment of subscriptions in just 5 months: 1 MILLION!
he wasnt at 4 millions 5 months ago lol,
This video proves he is the best TH-cam trainer! Showing us the danger of a popular exercise and even improving it for us beginners is a blessing 🙌🏼
nearly 4 year old vid and that "screwing" motion of breaking the bar has blown my mind at how much easier it is to feel my lats activate and really helps my mind-muscle connection
cheers bud. Im 41 and just decided to do weights again. Ive never done compound lifts before so learning to do them and trying to make sure my technique is good as i dont want to waste the time i allocate to training.
I was jeffs barbell in my dream
Hahahaha
Sally D could make that A reality!
Cringe
@@jessamaly ok.
@Ultraspontane be nithe.
Jeff: try to break the bar.
Breaks the bar.
Exactly what I was looking for. New CSCS here (been a PT and powerlifter for years), and nobody beats Jeff Cavaliere to this date on TH-cam.
Only mainstream fitness person that doesn't lie to sell garbage or make up bullshit. He is a real man.
I cant thank you enough Jeff. Your videos are super helpful and I try to always consult them before trying a new lift or one I'm not sure of. My deadlift went up 50 pounds recently by being patient and working on form.
thank you, reset my home gym to your suggestion, and I feel I'll get what I want and reduce my potential injury. Thank yo for the direction
This video might have saved my back. I'm really struggling to learn the barbell row in good form and I am determined to learn it. Cannot wait to try it the way you just showed us Jeff.
Thank you! This is great advice. I've been lifting for more than 20 years, and never got advice so on point.
I have issues with the L4 & L5 vertebrae as well as my sacrum due to an injury from hyperextending my spine during a heavy leg press back in 2005. I ended up discarding the barbell deadlift in 2015 and the barbell squat in 2019 because it wasn't necessary to risk further injury to my lower spine. My chiropractors stated that I should perform the strict version of this exercise. I attempted to incorporate my legs in the modified version you depicted in this video, but the lifting up and returning to the ground was more aggravating on my lower spine than remaining in the fixed position. I prefer to deadlift the bar up to my thighs and bend my knees as I bring my hips back until the bar is resting 2-3" below my knees. This places me in the same position you were in while performing the exercise in the power-rack. The only difference, from an anatomical viewpoint, is there is "slightly" less latissimus dorsi activation, but it's not enough to impede the effectiveness of the exercise. This is a better rhomboids exercise than anything else, in my opinion.
7:12 Jeff's bicep looks like a giant chickpea
Even in 360p Jeff tips still worth.
144 you mean
Jeff: “Can’t hear these biceps? Should I turn them....up?”
I hate you
A friend of mine purchased his workout plan and I've been doing it with him and so far it's been great on teaching us new workouts and most importantly, working on your form.
I’ve had two lower back surgeries most likely due to bent over rows. Genetically my lowest disc Was never fully developed so my doctor says so it was a matter of time that it would herniated my doctor explain to me. That being said I found this video very informative on how to more effectively do this movement. Even though athletics is not the biggest guy who is very knowledgeable and has a tremendous physique when you consider he is natural.I absolutely love the way he explains the mechanics of the body the functions of the movement what your goal is and the best way to Perform it. Keep that knowledge, and it is greatly appreciated. Especially for someone like me who is stronger than the average individual and can do these movements with weights over 300 pounds with strict form For reps. Now I’m just trying to utilize the lightest
Wait possible to get the most effect so that I don’t put the unnecessary strain on my body
The dead rows have become a staple for me. I really love them!
8:36 "Could have used a heavier weight here, but its alright..." look at the biceps! DAMN!
The dead row not the best name, but I’m definitely adding this into my next program.
Jeff. Thank you for always bringing the no nonsense knowledge from every angle. Always on point 💪🏼💥
As someone who’s a fan of incorporating athletic and power movements into a BB program, Pendlays Rows (first movement) are my favourite start to a pulling day. After stretching I’ll work up in sets of 5 to the weight I intend to start my deadlift with. For me they’re a great way to warm up my hip flexors, shoulders, and posterior chain and get myself in the mentality of dropping my hips and exploding off the ground with the weight. I finish off my back day with higher rep cable rows and flys for hypertrophy.
i swear homeboy has his bedroom in the back there somewhere he there 24/7 lol
I heard of a youtube channel a long time ago where a dude lived in a van at a gym parking lot and just worked out and lived in a van lmao. Maybe that's what he does?
It's actually his own gym
Thanks so much Jeff, this exercise is consistently giving me lower back pain issues - I hope this advice can help me eliminate this!
"I could've used a heavier weight there but it's alright"
god damn you Jeff.
Hmmmmmmmmm
@@Fizzy332 yeah same
Now we know why they look so heavy...
This has by far been the best explanation ever! Thanks so much! ❤
Hey Jeff, could you please do a video on why it's okay to skip leg day?
😂😂😂
7:05 “As soon as I flip it up...” GODDAMN
Just wanna say jeff, thank you so much man. Just started lifting heavy and i am following your form for most of the lifts. Amazing results! Cheers!
I literally just came back from the gym, thought my barbell rows weren't in good form and this was under my recommendations, omg
Same here i had troubles with this exercise , jeff is a genius
Google is watching...
All of your videos are very thorough and straight to the point. They are also very helpful. I enjoy watching them. Thank you!
Jeff I haven’t communicated much but you have changed the way I lift at 67. I am dealing with a long 15 yr lay off from a life of hard work and related problems I have not quit. I’m w/out just trying to get a repeatable routine that you supplied the info to figure out. I’ll keep you updated, brock a
Guaranteed good video every time👌
Damn this is a good channel. What a huge help I haven't found anywhere else.
Exactly what I needed to perfect my Barbell Rows. Thank you very much can't wait for my next Gym session
That break the bar tip is really helpful, I’m having unresponsive lats and doing that trick really helped me feel my lats more than my rear delts
Interesting I'm going to have to try this block pull style of row... I've been living with chronic lumbar pain for the last year from facet hypertrophy and I think it's more my SI now than it was... If I do five easy reps of pendlay rows A few days later it tightens up until it's very painful for about a week or longer. This is going to be awesome if I can train my back adequately with this without hurting my low back.
Rows are so under-appreciated, I look forward to hitting rows every week and most people don’t even hit them
Jeff: "break the bar, and turn."
Jeff: - does the exercise, literally breaks the barbell
That screwing thing is big. Learned it couple of weeks ago and my low traps especially feel so much stronger already now. Got to implement that triceps activation to it too and it will be epic. Thanks!
Finally a good demonstration!!! Do these over the bent over -barbell rows that fuck up your lumbar, yes, even if you do it "right". Do some physics and learn why you should do these over the completely upper body parallel to floor barbell rows.
Agree. I think people are confused with different forms and opinions, I think it depends on what your goal is.
Literally just did chest and outer knee caps three years ago and you upload this video. God damnit Jeff are you a magician?!
It took me like 2 years to finally start hitting my back on these movements lol so many little details you have to pay attention to when lifting.
Was just about to do some homework but then this popped up... Jeff if I fail calculus it’s on you.
Ryan Levy
Absolutely.
So ... Did u fail?
Such a solid informational video. Everything I needed and more.
I’ll say it again. Jeff is the father of fitness. Wish I watched this before I did pendlay rows for the first time today. Tweaked my lower back a little.
When he lifts the bar at 5:45 i swear there’s a fart
Sir Sparco there was 😂
Lmao yup
A smelly one
Fo sho
that's him grunting
Pen rows get prescribed in my program. Can’t do them effectively because of my anatomy. See if Jeff has any solutions. 20 seconds into the video he’s describing my exact problem. Damn this dude is good. What a phenomenal resource to all of us.
Jeff has one of the most impressive physiques out of anyone I’ve ever seen. 👏🏼
A great alternative is to do that "power row" with a reverse grip, keep the bar close to the shins until you get to the knees and then explode, just like Jeff's "power row", but with the reverse grip. If your hams are flexible btw, use a buncha tens instead of the 45's so you can start further down and hit the upper back around the spine more instead of mostly lats. That gives a lot of power and thickness to the back. That technique and the row versions Jeff showed approvingly in this vid protect the lower back against injury during these exercises, btw.
Those rack rows are amazing, you are a genius and I owe you big for finding a way to spare your glutes/hams during rows!
Jeff's mucles are like, "do you really need to question me!"
Me: Standing in the corner
Jeff: 5 things thats wrong with the way you stand
I messed up my back for life doing these improperly just once with no warnings prior. Take the advice and stay safe for the long run, do em right.
Doing pendlays from the floor?
My favorite gym TH-camr, tells you the science behind the reasoning
I've been using dead rows like this: start with bent over rows as shown at 5:56 and then when I move up to a weight that I can't do a clean rep, I switch over to dead rows and continue loading up. They have the momentum and explosive elements so I can overload further. I use the same concept with strict overhead press >> push press or jerk.
I could never figure out how to get my lower back to stop hurting on rows. I tried so hard to keep good form but I couldn't. The dead row helped a lot with that though. No more back pain and heavier rows!
Jeff, please show us how to do decline dumbbell presses on the ground if you don’t have a bench
Lea Vohn put feet up on a couch or something but u may have to contract ur glutes and hams to keep ur spine neutral
He already has a video where he does dumbell presses on the floor, check it out and see how he puts the dumbells down.
he said decline db bench press.
Opps, my bad
Who even does decline bench press?🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
I do these with my stomach against an angled seat takes the weight off the lower back and isolates my lats better, I also use dumbbells to isolate my weaker left side.
I like doing the same, however, that is a very different exercise. It's kinda like saying I do barbell curls but at a preacher bench and with a dumbbell. The way you do it will isolate the lats a lot more but then you lose the added benefit of the barbell row being a big compound movement.
It would be nice to hear you speak on overhand vs. underhand grips. It looks like you would advocate for underhand grips, because you are talking about reducing bicep activation
I may be one of the few that can pendley row but I reset all my rep till they hit my shin. Good advice Jeff
Hi Jeff, hope you'll see my comment, your videos are great, everything I implemented, worked! I very much appreciate that you put in medicine and science behind your workouts that's why if we done them properly we can never fail. Now in this particular exercise I want to ask you what is happening if we take the weight with undergrip instead of overgrip? Is mid back more activated if we do a undergrip barbell row? Thanks a lot and keep reppin'!