Barbell Row Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Form

The barbell row is among the best exercises for increasing back strength. Here, we’ll explain how to perform a barbell row with perfect form. We’ll also detail the muscles worked by barbell rows and explain the main barbell row benefits.

How to Perform Barbell Rows with Correct Form

1. Stand tall with feet roughly shoulder width apart and barbell positioned over midfoot.
2. Reach down to grip the bar with your hands just outside your knees.
3. Deadlift the bar to standing while bracing the core to keep a neutral spine.
4. Keep chin tucked and knees slightly bent.
5. Push hips back and tilt torso forward until hamstrings stretch.
6. Row weight by driving elbows back and up until barbell touches torso.
7. Squeeze shoulder blades together at the top of the lift.
8. Maintain alignment in back, hips, and head, and squeeze core to slowly lower barbell back to starting position.
9. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

This great YouTube video by Jeremy Ethier from Built by Science provides a great visual demonstration of how to perform a bent-over barbell row with perfect form. Jeremy also provides some barbell row variations and tips to customize the exercise according to biomechanics and goals. 

How To PROPERLY Barbell Row For A Bigger Back (Stop Making These Mistakes!)

Barbell Row Tips

1. Experiment with set-up and stance 
2. Keep back straight in hinged position
3. Contract abdominals to protect spine
4. Keep scapula contracted
5. Control eccentric (lowering) phase
6. Relax scapulae slightly on the descent 
7. Contract triceps before each rep

Experiment with set-up and stance

Attempt narrow and wider stances to determine foot position preference. Experiment with different grips to target particular muscle groups. A wider grip allows for a higher pull towards the sternum and flares the elbows more. 

Wide-grip barbell rows hit the traps, rear deltoids, and upper back due to greater transverse extension. A narrow grip enables pulling the bar lower toward the belly button and tucking elbows close to target lats more.

An underhand grip encourages more elbow tuck, engaging the lats more effectively. An underhand grip will increase bicep engagement, but reduce back and lat activation. 

Keep back straight in hinged position

When setting up for a bent-over barbell row, tilt forward while keeping the back straight. Range of motion for maintaining a neutral spine during a hinge movement depends on hamstring flexibility. Standard range is between 15 and 45 degrees.

Contract abdominals to protect spine

Brace the abdominals to support spinal erectors and reduce the risk of lower back pain or injury. Relaxing core muscles when performing hinge positions compromises the spinal safety. 

Keep scapula contracted

Consciously pull the scapula (shoulder blades) together during each repetition of the barbell row. Rowing the barbell with slumped or rounded shoulder blades increases the risk of shoulder joint injury and reduces the effectiveness of the exercise for strengthening your back muscles. 

Control eccentric (lowering) phase

Muscles are stronger when lengthening under a load than when contracting (shortening). Take advantage of this additional strength by slowly lowering the weight during the eccentric portion of the barbell row. 

Slowing down the lowering phase engages more motor units to trigger greater strength and muscle building gains. Controlling the eccentric movement also reduces shoulder, lower back, and elbow injury risk. 

Relax scapulae slightly on eccentric

Let your shoulder blades relax to the sides slightly when you lower the barbell, then squeeze them together as you row the weight back and up. This adjustment increases the active range of motion for the lats and rear delts, forcing a fuller stretch before each contraction.

Contract triceps before each rep 

Engaging the triceps minimizes bicep engagement to keep the emphasis on the back muscles. Triceps and biceps work synergistically; one relaxes while the other contracts. 

To ensure the barbell row is working lower and upper back muscles and not biceps, squeeze the backs of your arms to brace for each repetition.

Common Barbell Row Mistakes

1. Using momentum
2. Standing too upright
3. Pulling the barbell too high
4. Flaring the elbows too much 
5. Rolling the shoulders forward
6. Losing control of the descent

Using Momentum

Barbell row variations are excellent for building a thicker, stronger back, but only if performed correctly. Using momentum to swing the barbell toward the body prevents the proper muscle groups from engaging. Keep the torso stationary and pull the barbell by squeezing lats and back to engage the correct muscles.

Standing too upright

Performing barbell rows without leaning forward enough reduces engagement of the back muscles and strains the upper traps. Standing upright turns the exercise into a type of shrug variation rather than a proper bent-over barbell row.

Pulling the barbell too high

Rowing the barbell toward the clavicle changes the mechanics of the lift to resemble more of a trap shrug. Experiment with lower and higher barbell paths, but try to remain somewhere between mid-sternum andnavel to ensure correct muscle group recruitment. 

Flaring the elbows too much 

Flaring the elbows too wide will emphasize the upper traps, reducing the intended effect of the exercise. Excessively flaring the elbows can also increase the risk of shoulder impingement injuries by restricting the natural range of motion in a barbell row. 

Rolling the shoulders forward

Pull the shoulders back whenever actively rowing the barbell. Doing barbell rows with rounded shoulders risks a shoulder injury and may indicate the weight is too heavy. 

Losing control of the descent 

Rushing or allowing gravity to pull the weight down is a recipe for injury and poor results. Rather than dropping the barbell to its starting position, slowly extend the arms and feel your back and lats stretch during the eccentric portion. 

Choose a weight you can lift and lower with control without rounding your back or rushing the reps to get the most out of each rep.

Barbell Row Benefits

1. Effectively builds back muscles
2. Strengthens core muscles
3. Builds stronger posterior chain 
4. Customizable (offers plenty of variations)

Effectively builds back muscles

The barbell row is one of the best exercises for increased size and strength throughout your back. One American College of Exercise study reviewed eight pulling exercises to find the best back exercise. 

The study found that the barbell bent over row was the most effective at activating three of the five back muscles tested and was the second most effective for the remaining two muscles.

One of the study authors, Dr. Porcari, concluded that if you had to choose one back exercise, it should be the bent-over barbell row. 

Strengthens your core

Maintaining a forward lean during a barbell row requires activating the abdominal muscles. Compound exercises that engage your core muscles improve postural stability and abdominal muscular endurance. 

Builds stronger posterior chain

The bent-over barbell row activates your hamstrings, glutes, spinal erector, traps, rear deltoids, and lats. Maintaining a strong and stable hip-hinge position adds significant time under tension for several stabilizing muscles throughout the posterior chain, adding strength and muscular density over time. 

Customizable

Adjust positions for the barbell row to target specific muscle groups. Barbell rows with a wider grip emphasizes the traps and posterior shoulder muscles. 

Narrow-grip barbell rows target the biceps and latissimus dorsi (lats) better. Experiment with stance and starting position to find a barbell row variation that works best.

Barbell Row Muscles Worked

1. Middle and lower trapezius
2. Latissimus dorsi
3. Rear deltoids
4. Spinal erectors
5. Scapula stabilizers 
6. Hamstrings and glutes
7. Core muscles

Middle and lower trapezius

The middle and lower trapezius muscles (traps) are one of the primary muscles activated by the barbell row. Traps stabilize and control the movement of the scapula (shoulder blade) and upper arm muscles. 

Barbell rows drive traps to control the weight. Check out our list of the best lower trap and middle trap exercises to strengthen underdeveloped trap muscles. 

Latissimus dorsi (lats)

The lats are the widest muscle in the body and one of the main muscles worked by the barbell row. Your lats are a thin, wide sheet of muscle that lays across most of your other back muscles. 

Barbell rows involve some of the main lat functions, like movement control of the shoulder joint. Lats work arm internal rotation, adduction (pulling arms toward the midline) and extension.

If you’re focused on developing your lats, don’t miss your articles on the best lower lat dumbbell exercises.

Rear deltoids

During a classic barbell row, the posterior deltoids (delts) pull the shoulders back to keep the scapula retracted. Target rear deltoids more by using a grip wider than shoulder width allowing a slight elbow flare and increasing shoulder abduction.

For more information on the posterior deltoid muscle, check out our list of the best rear delt exercises or tips on growing underdeveloped rear delt muscles.

Spinal erectors

The barbell bent-over row engages the spinal erectors isometrically. The spinal erectors don’t move during a barbell row, but they are working to keep the spine and pelvis in alignment. 

The spinal erectors (erector spinae) comprise the stabilizing muscles that support the spine and lay along either side of the vertebrae. During a barbell bent-over row, these muscles maintain a neutral spine and prevent unwanted spinal column movement.

Scapula stabilizers 

Scapula stabilizers are small muscles that protect the upper back muscles around the shoulder blade (scapula). They include the serratus anterior, rhomboids, and levator scapulae. These muscles work during a barbell row to externally rotate the shoulders and stabilize the scapula during the rowing motion.

Hamstrings and glutes

Bent-over barbell rows place isometric tension on the hamstrings and glutes to stay in a stable, hip-hinge position. Keep tension in the hamstrings and glutes to maintain a hip-hinged position.

If hamstrings or glutes are weak, check out our list of the best ways to grow underdeveloped hamstrings to build a stronger lower posterior chain. Find some of the best cable exercises for developing stronger glutes.

Core muscles

The abdominal muscles will engage to keep the spine neutral in the bent-over position when performing barbell rows. Always brace the core to keep the torso stationary and use back muscles rather than momentum to row the weight.

If your core is weak and limits your performance in compound lifts like barbell rows, check out our list of the best ways to strengthen and build your core muscles.

Barbell Rows Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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About Emma Lennon

Emma is a Health Science graduate, qualified personal trainer, and writer. She has over ten years of experience in the health, community development, and communications sectors. She is passionate about making reputable information about health, fitness, and resistance training accessible to all.

Emma loves building her own functional strength and fitness outside of work with various training styles, from weightlifting to calisthenics, yoga, and dancing. She advocates for the powerful potential of exercise to improve physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.