The Pendlay row and the barbell row are close cousins. Both are barbell pulls you do bent at the hips to build a thicker, stronger back, and from across the gym they look almost identical. The whole difference is in how each rep starts.
Pendlay rows and barbell rows share a lot, but the way each rep starts sets them apart. On a Pendlay row the bar comes to a full dead stop on the floor between every rep, and you rip it off the ground explosively. On a barbell row the bar never touches down, so you hold the hinge and keep constant tension on your back the whole set.
I’ve used both for years, and they aren’t interchangeable. One builds power and a strong upper back; the other is the better hypertrophy option. This article will help you decide which row gets you closer to your goal.
Table of Contents
- 1 What’s the Main Difference Between a Pendlay Row and a Barbell Row?
- 2 Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Pros and Cons
- 3 Exercise Form
- 4 Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Muscles Used
- 5 Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: When to Do Each
- 6 Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Which Is Better for You?
- 7 Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: FAQs
- 8 Other Exercise Comparison Posts
- 8.1 Concentration Curl vs. Bicep Curl: Which Exercise Should I Be Doing?
- 8.2 Belt Squat vs. Back Squat: Pros & Cons
- 8.3 Preacher Curl vs Bicep Curl: Differences, Pros, and Cons
- 8.4 Split Squat vs Lunge: Differences & Benefits
- 8.5 Barbell Curl vs Dumbbell Curl: Benefits & Differences
- 8.6 Glute Ham Raise vs Nordic Curl: Differences and Benefits
- 8.7 Dips vs Bench Press: Pros & Cons
- 8.8 Barbell Row vs T-Bar Row: Differences, Pros, and Cons
- 8.9 Hammer Curls vs Bicep Curls: Which is Better?
- 8.10 Overhead Press vs. Bench Press: Pros, Cons, & Differences
- 8.11 Rack Pulls vs. Deadlifts: Differences, Pros, and Cons
- 8.12 Dumbbell vs Barbell Bench Press: Differences and Pros & Cons
What’s the Main Difference Between a Pendlay Row and a Barbell Row?
The main difference is the starting position. On a Pendlay row you pull the bar explosively from a dead stop on the floor for every single rep, which gives you a longer range of motion and a real power demand off the ground. The barbell row starts from a hinged position and stays there, keeping constant tension on your back and lower back from the first rep to the last.
Because of that, the Pendlay row leans toward explosive strength and carries over well to powerlifting and the Olympic lifts. The barbell row is the better muscle builder, since the constant tension and the heavier loads you can handle add up to more total volume for your back.
This is summed up well in this video from Konversion Fit.
To clarify, what I’m calling the “barbell row” here is also commonly known as the bent-over barbell row or 45-degree barbell row.
Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Pros and Cons
Rowing movements are effective compound lifts for building back size and strength. Both of these will grow your back. The right one for you comes down to your goal and how your body handles each.
Pendlay Row Pros
- Builds explosive power. Starting each rep from a dead stop forces you to generate force from zero, with no momentum to lean on.
- Hard to cheat. The bar is dead still when you start, so you can’t bounce it or swing the weight up.
- Longer range of motion. Pulling each rep from the floor means the bar travels farther.
- Easier on the lower back. You reset between reps instead of holding a loaded hinge, so your erectors and hamstrings do less stabilizing and your upper back does more of the work.
Pendlay Row Cons
- You’ll move less weight. The dead-stop start caps how heavy you can go compared to a row you grind out of a hinge.
- Tough if you’re tall or tight. Long limbs or stiff hips make it hard to reach the bar on the floor with a flat back, and that’s how people end up rounding to get down to it.
Barbell Row Pros
Here are some of the benefits of barbell rows:
- More volume per set. Most people can knock out more reps on a barbell row than a Pendlay row, and volume is a key factor for muscle growth.
- Heavier loading. You can usually load a barbell row heavier, which puts more mechanical tension on the lats.
- More ways to adjust it. Change your grip, stance, or torso angle to hit the back from different angles.
- Constant tension and posture work. Holding the hinge for the whole set keeps tension on your erectors and makes it a strong accessory for the deadlift.
Barbell Row Cons
- Easy to cheat with momentum. The standing hinge lets you heave the bar with body english once you fatigue, which pulls the work off your back.
- Harder on the lower back. Holding a loaded hinge the whole set taxes your erectors, and that can cap your reps or aggravate an already cranky lower back.
Exercise Form
How to Perform a Pendlay Row
A Pendlay row is a modified version of a barbell row. Its creator, Glenn Pendlay, described it as “simply a strict barbell row, done with the back staying at parallel to the ground. These rows contributed a huge help to making my back strong.” The key difference over a conventional barbell row is your starting position.
- Stand with your loaded barbell in front of you on the floor. Your feet should be about hip-width and placed directly under the bar.
- Micro-bend your knees and hinge at the waist, pushing your hips back so your back is flat and parallel to the floor.
- Reach down and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, your hands just wider than shoulder width.
- Engage your core and brace your back and shoulders to take the slack out of the bar. Keep your shoulders pulled back throughout.
- Pull the barbell toward your torso with explosive force. Hinge at the elbows and drive them behind you as you lift the bar to your chest.
- Keeping your core activated and your back braced, release the barbell back down to the ground.
- Let the bar come to a full dead stop, reset, and repeat for each rep.
Here is a useful video from Scott Herman Fitness showing the correct form for a Pendlay row and how to avoid some common mistakes.
Pendlay Row Common Form Mistakes
- Locking your knees. Keep a soft bend in the knees the whole time so you can hold a flat back.
- Bouncing the bar off the ground. Let the barbell come to a dead stop before starting each rep.
- Driving the weight through your legs. Don’t use your legs to pull the bar up. Drop the weight if you can’t move it without pushing through your legs.
How to Perform a Barbell Row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your loaded barbell on the ground in front of you. Engage your core and reach down to hold the bar with an overhand grip, your hands just wider than shoulder width.
- Deadlift the bar up and stand tall with a soft bend in the knees. Keep that micro-bend throughout.
- Pull your shoulders back and down. Hinge your hips back and lean forward until your back is tilted at about 45 degrees. Hold the bar close to your body and keep your core braced.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the barbell up toward your trunk. Don’t swing or rock your back for momentum. Keep your elbows tucked in close rather than letting them flare out.
- Keep your core braced and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Repeat for your reps, then set the bar down on the ground.
For a visual aid, here’s Alex Bromley from Empire Barbell:
Barbell Row Common Form Mistakes
- Using momentum. As you fatigue you’ll start to swing your back up to heave the bar. Brace your core and control the rep instead.
- The back is too vertical. Row with your back at about 45 degrees. Standing too upright shifts the bar path and pulls in the wrong muscles.
- Incorrect neck position. Your neck is part of your spine, so keep it neutral. Look at the ground a few feet ahead and tuck your chin to protect the natural curve of your spine.
Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Muscles Used
Both rows train the same group of pulling muscles. The big movers are the lats, with the rhomboids, traps, rear delts, teres major and minor, and biceps all pitching in to drive your elbows back and pull your shoulder blades together. Your spinal erectors work the whole time to hold your back flat, and your grip and forearms get taxed holding a heavy bar in place. If you want more pulls that train the back as a unit, see our guide to the best compound back exercises.
Pendlay Row Muscles Used
The Pendlay row hammers the upper back. Because you reset on the floor and start each rep from scratch, the lats, rhomboids, traps, and rear delts do most of the work, and there’s a real power demand on them to rip the bar off the ground fast. Your erectors fire to keep your torso parallel to the floor, but since you’re not holding the hinge between reps, your lower back takes less continuous stress than it does on a barbell row. The explosive start also pulls in your hamstrings and glutes to hold position as the bar leaves the ground.
Barbell Row Muscles Used
The barbell row trains the same back muscles but spreads more of the load down the chain. Holding that 45-degree hinge for the whole set keeps your erectors, glutes, and hamstrings under constant tension as they fight to keep you from folding over. You’ll usually feel the lower lats and erectors more here than on a Pendlay row. The heavier loads and longer time under tension are why the barbell row tends to put more size on your back over a training block.
Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: When to Do Each
When to Do a Pendlay Row
Reach for the Pendlay row when you’re chasing explosive power and upper-back strength. It works best in lower rep ranges, somewhere around 3 to 6 reps a set, where you can be aggressive off the floor without your form falling apart. It’s a great accessory for powerlifters and Olympic lifters since the explosive pull carries over to the Olympic lifts and a stronger deadlift off the floor.
Glenn Pendlay built the lift to bust a squat plateau by strengthening his trunk and upper back, so it’s worth a look any time your back is the weak link in your bigger lifts.
When to Do a Barbell Row
Go with the barbell row when your main goal is back size. The constant tension and heavier loads let you pack on more volume and take sets closer to failure, which is what drives hypertrophy. Bodybuilders live on it for that reason. It also doubles as deadlift work, since holding the hinge under load builds your erectors and posterior chain.
Rep ranges of 8 to 12 suit it well. If your lower back is already beat up from heavy pulling, keep the weight honest and the reps controlled so you’re not just heaving the bar.
Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: Which Is Better for You?
If I had to pick one for most lifters chasing a bigger, thicker back, it’s the barbell row. The heavier loads and constant tension give you more total volume per set, and volume is what grows muscle. It’s the row I program for hypertrophy nine times out of ten.
Go with the Pendlay row if your goal is strength and power rather than size, especially if you compete in powerlifting or weightlifting. The dead-stop start trains you to produce force fast and builds a rock-solid upper back that carries over to your squat, deadlift, and the Olympic lifts. It’s also the kinder option if a loaded hinge bothers your lower back, since you reset every rep.
If you’re new to rowing, start with the barbell row to groove the pull and build a base before adding the explosive demand of the Pendlay version. If neither feels right for your body, our bent-over row alternatives cover other ways to train the same muscles.
Pendlay Row vs Barbell Row: FAQs
Are Pendlay rows and barbell rows the same?
No. The Pendlay row is one type of barbell row, the version where you reset the bar on the floor for every rep. “Barbell row” is the broader term and usually means the conventional bent-over row, where the bar stays off the ground the whole set and keeps constant tension on your back.
Are Pendlay rows worth it?
Yes, especially if you train for power. The explosive dead-stop pull builds upper-back strength you won’t get from a standard row, and it carries over to powerlifting and the Olympic lifts. It’s also a good pick if you want to hit your upper back hard while giving your lower back a break between reps.
Should I do Pendlay rows or barbell rows to build muscle?
For pure back size, the barbell row wins. It lets you handle more weight and more volume and take sets closer to failure, which is what you want for hypertrophy. Pendlay rows still build muscle, but they’re better aimed at strength and power. If your lower back or mobility is the limiting factor, the Pendlay row’s between-rep reset can make it the more comfortable choice.
Is the Pendlay row better for your lower back?
It can be. You reset the bar on the floor between reps instead of holding a loaded hinge the whole set, so your lower back gets a break each rep rather than constant tension. If a long set of barbell rows leaves your erectors smoked, the Pendlay row is worth trying. The catch is that getting down to the bar with a flat back takes decent hip mobility, so dial in your hinge first.
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