Barbell row

4 × 6-10  ·  Equipment: Barbell & plates

Muscle groups: Back · Arms

How to do barbell row

1. Place the bar on the floor and grip it overhand with your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge your torso forward about 45 degrees with a straight back and a firm core.
3. Let your arms hang toward the floor with a slight bend in your knees.
4. Exhale and pull the bar toward your abdomen, driving your elbows back.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the end of the movement and keep your torso steady.
6. Lower the bar with control to a full lat stretch without rounding your back.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not round your lower back: keep your spine neutral throughout the range.
• Avoid rocking your torso to pull the weight, as it becomes a momentum movement.
• Do not pull the bar to your chest with flared elbows; that variation overloads the shoulder.
• Reduce the weight if you cannot hold the 45-degree position until the end of the set.

Progression

• Master the posture without weight and progress with an empty bar (or dumbbells) for 10 reps.
• Add 2.5 kg when you complete 4 sets of 8 with a stable back.
• Increase time under tension by lowering the bar over 3 seconds.
• As the load grows, alternate with a cable row to keep technique without sacrificing volume.