Exercise · Form & cues
Barbell Row — form guide
Lats · Mid Traps · Rear Delts · Biceps. Equipment: Barbell. Difficulty: Intermediate.
TEMPO
1-1-3-0 (pull 1s, squeeze 1s, lower 3s, no pause)
Most people train rows as a bicep exercise. Think 'pull elbow to hip' not 'pull bar to chest' — this cue alone doubles lat recruitment.
Cues
- Hip hinge: torso 45–70° from floor
- Bar path to lower sternum/upper abs — not chest
- Drive elbows back and down, not just back
- Squeeze scapulae hard at peak contraction
- 3-second eccentric — most people drop it in 0.5s
Common mistakes
- Too upright = becomes a shrug
- Jerking with lower back
- Bar hitting chest = traps not lats
Injury notes
Lower back pain → switch to Chest-Supported Row or Cable Row
Progression
Add 5kg when all sets hit top of rep range.