Exercise technique guide
How to Do a Bent-Over Row
The bent-over row has you hinge forward and pull a barbell or dumbbells to your torso. It builds a strong upper and mid back, the muscles that pull your shoulders back and fight the rounded posture of desk work. A key pulling exercise for everyone.
Many people push far more than they pull, and hours hunched over a phone or laptop make it worse. The bent-over row is the fix: it strengthens the back muscles that pull your shoulders back and hold you upright.
A barbell or dumbbells and a good hinge are all you need, so it fits a condo gym or our Putra Heights centre. Get the hinge solid first, because a flat back is what keeps this powerful move safe.
What it trains and who it suits
It works the lats, mid-back and rear shoulders, while the lower back and core hold a strong hinge position. It suits anyone with desk-worker posture or wanting a balanced, strong back.
Because you support the load with a braced spine, it also trains your back to stay strong and stable under load, which carries over to lifting everywhere.
Step-by-step cues
- Hinge forward with a flat back, weights hanging below you
- Set your shoulder blades and brace your core
- Pull the weight toward your belly, elbows going back
- Squeeze your back muscles at the top
- Lower with control without rounding your back
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- Rounding the back, keep the chest proud and hinge from the hips
- Standing up as you pull, hold the hinge angle steady
- Yanking with the arms, lead with the elbows and squeeze the back
- Pulling too high to the chest, aim for the belly button
Regressions, progressions and when to stop
Too hard on the back? Do single-arm dumbbell rows with a bench for support. Too easy? Add load, pause at the top, or slow the lowering. At home dumbbells are ideal; at our centre we coach the barbell version once your hinge holds.
- Stop if you feel sharp low-back pain rather than working back muscles
- See a professional if holding the hinge always hurts your spine