The barbell row is a compound, multi-joint upper body exercise intended to extend strength of muscles inside the upper and middle back, posterior shoulder girdle, and anterior elbow joint.
The barbell row exercise is a basic upper body exercise that might be performed by athletes and nonathletes alike for improving strength. It often is taught to athletes during initial stages of strength enhancement training and with novice nonathletes due to its relative simplicity.
Because of relatively higher compressive loads on some lumbar spine structures than other rowing exercises, proper teaching, posture, and exercise techniques are warranted. Lifters needs to be freed from back pain, and people with a history of back pain should consider an alternate exercise to the barbell row.
Main muscles activated during barbell bent over row: latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboids, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, posterior deltoid, infraspinatus and teres minor, erector spinae, biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. The erector spinae and abdominal muscles provide spine stability during the complete barbell row exercise.
A 2009 studyinvestigated 3 different rowing exercises and quantify the muscle activation of the torso and the hip musculature, along with the corresponding spinal loading and stiffness. The 3 rowing exercises investigated were the inverted row, standing bent-over row, and standing 1-armed cable row.
The inverted row elicited the very best activation of the latissimus dorsi muscles, upper-back, and hip extensor muscles. The lower activation of the lumbar erector spinae muscles through the inverted row corresponded to the lower spine load measured. The standing bent-over row produced large activation symmetrically across the back, nevertheless it produced the most important lumbar spine load. The 1-armed cable row challenged the torsional capabilities of the trunk musculature.
The standing bent-over row elicited large muscle activation symmetrically from the upper to lower back; it induced larger spine loads but in addition, not surprisingly, the very best spine stiffness. Some core exercises could also be higher for rehabilitation (e.g., having the training goals of modest muscle activation with low spine load), whereas other exercises could also be higher for athletic training (e.g., leading to higher muscle activation and bigger spine load).
A 2017 studycompared the electromyographic (EMG) responses in the center trapezius, lower trapezius, infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae during eight back exercises to find out which produces the best muscle activation for every muscle.
Nineteen males accomplished five repetitions of the next exercises using 70% of 1 RM, or body weight resistance: lat pull-downs, inverted rows, seated rows, bent-over rows, TRX rows, I-Y-T raises, pull-ups, and chin-ups.
Greatest activation of the center trapezius was found with I-Y-T raises, bent-overs, seated, and inverted rows. Greatest activation of the lower trapezius was found with I-Y-T raises. Greatest activation of the latissimus dorsi was found with pull-ups and chin-ups. Greatest activation of the infraspinatus was found with pull-ups, chin-ups, I-Y-T raises, bent overs, and inverted rows.
The results of this study indicate that there wasn’t one specific exercise that was the only best exercise to activate each of the five muscles to the best degree. However, if an individual had to decide on one exercise, the bent-over row activated three of the five back muscles to the best degree and was the second best exercise for the opposite two muscles.
A 2021 studyexamined the electromyographical (EMG) differences between 4 variations through the dynamic performance of the bent-over row (BOR) exercise: BOR in inclined bench with 90deg shoulder abduction (B/AB); BOR in inclined bench with maximum shoulder adduction (B/AD); standing BOR with 90deg shoulder abduction (S/AB); standing BOR with maximum shoulder adduction (S/AD).
Muscle activity was measured using surface EMG in six lumbar, dorsal, and shoulder muscles: posterior deltoid (PD), latissimus dorsi (LD), upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), lumbar portion of erector spinae (LES) and thoracic portion erector spinae (TES).
Results showed that the 2 variations based on standing postures (S/AB and S/AD) caused greater EMG responses each on shoulder and lumbar and dorsal muscles. However, importantly, participants had the very best EMG activity heading in the right direction muscles (deltoid and trapezius muscles) when performing the BOR in a shoulder abduction position (B/AB and S/AB), independent of whether or not they were, or weren’t, working with the bench.
Thus, considering that the mild activity showed from the lumbar and dorsal back muscles when performing the bench variations would denote lower spine loads, we will conclude that, from an ergonomic standpoint, using the bench needs to be indicated when performing the BOR exercise
CORRECT WAY OF DOING THE BENT OVER BARBELL ROW
With feet in a shoulder-width position, squat down with hips lower than shoulders, knees barely flexed, and grasp the bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width, closed, pronated grip.
Elbows are fully prolonged, pointed outward barely with feet flat on the ground, bar kept near the shins and over the balls of the feet.
The head and neck are aligned with the trunk by focusing eyes barely ahead of the feet.
While maintaining a rigid torso and neutral or flat back, the bar needs to be lifted off the ground by extending the hips and knees.
Next, the torso is positioned barely above a parallel-to-the-floor, with the elbows fully prolonged and the bar positioned barely above the bottom.
Hips and knees remain barely flexed, the chest is pushed upward and outward, and the scapulae (shoulder blades) are barely retracted or adducted (pulled toward one another).
Exhale while pulling the bar upward towards the upper waist or navel. Return until arms are prolonged and shoulders are stretched downward. Repeat.
CONFUSIONS & ERRORS
- The torso position – this might be the most important confusions during performing a bent over barbell row, with different experts having different opinions on how much needs to be the bend within the torso through the bent over row.
After considering a lot of the studies and with practical personal experience, I might say that there is no such thing as a one correct angle for the torso bend. But maintaining a bend of 10-45deg gives you optimal contraction of the back. Any lower will put an undue stress on the lower back, and over 45deg, will result in improper contraction of the back muscles.
Also, the bend would depend a variety of the load. As the load increases, it gets difficult to take care of a lower bend within the torso, and would put a variety of stress on the lower back. So, increase the torso angle. But try to not go over 45deg. Anything over would generally mean a weight which you aren’t ready for.
2. Rounding the upper back – probably the most common mistakes while performing a bent over row movement is to around the upper back. This is a classic method to injure the back. Keep the back straight and neutral throughout the movement.
3. Letting the bar travel too far in front of the body – the bar needs to be travelling consistent with the body, straight up & down.
4. Another common mistake moving the complete torso up and down with the bar. While performing the bent over row, your upper torso will remain in a hard and fast position, and never move up and down with the bar. Only the bar moves, not the body.
5. Wrong knee bend – there’s an optimal bend within the knee while performing a row. If you bend an excessive amount of, you’re virtually in a squat position, which makes it difficult to take care of the correct position during bent over row.
On the opposite hand, in case you lock out your knees, you set undue stress on the low back while limiting the quantity of weight you should use. An optimal bend can be 15-20deg within the knee, which won’t change throughout the movement.
6. Another mistake and an often unanswered query is the pulling location of the baror the purpose to which the bar is pulled on to the torso.
In proper position, the bar should travel upward and downward in an arcing manner through the frontal plane, consistent with the gravitational pull. The pull shouldn’t occur consistent with the chest nor should the shoulders be elevated. Pulling the bar towards the navel or the upper waist can be optimal for most people.
Not that pulling the bar higher up towards the sternum is a problem. When you try this, you flare out your elbows outwards, and goal more of traps, rear delts and overall upper back.
On the opposite hand, pulling keeping the elbow barely tucked in, and pulling the bar towards your belly button is a more mechanically advantageous position, targeting the complete posterior lat musculature, and letting you pull far more weight.
7. Going too heavy – this might be the purpose which needs probably the most attention, as its common to see beginners and intermediate lifters attempting to imitate skilled lifters (mainly bodybuilders) who lift insane amount of weight, but with a form which is improper relating to performing the movement, but correct relating to the execution by the advance athlete, who has set the exercise movement acc. to his needs, over years of coaching.
No one cares how much weight you’re lifting, in case your form goes to crash. It’s common to see ego lifters using weight, they simply aren’t in a position to handle, after which perform the row in way where they’re standing virtually straight and by some means attempting to pull the bar to finish the rep, using all forms of momentum. Deadlift is an awesome exercise, but don’t turn a bent over row right into a deadlift, but standing straight.
8. Not lifting heavy enough – that is equally essential, as the essential principle of exercise physiology is progressive overload. Lifting progressively heavier loads in an exercise like bent over barbell rows, gives you an amazing improvement each by way of hypertrophy & strength.
WAS DORION YATES WRONG?
When initially people saw Mr. Olympia Dorion Yates performing the barbell bent over row, with a supinated grip and in a far more upright position, they were quite stunned.
Of course, nobody could ever doubt Dorion, multiple times Mr. Olympia, who possessed one among the mightiest backs within the history of bodybuilding.
But, was Dorion attempting to hide something, was he improper in performing the normal pronated grip bent over barbell row with a supinated (underhand grip), or was there something else which individuals didn’t notice?
The unconventional sort of barbell rowing utilized by Dorion was named as “Yates Row”.
As we saw, that while you perform the pronated grip bent over barbell row, muscles which get activated are: latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboids, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, posterior deltoid, infraspinatus and teres minor, erector spinae, biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. The erector spinae and abdominal muscles provide spine stability during the complete barbell row exercise.
On the opposite hand, through the underhand or supinated grip barbell bent over row, also called because the Yates row, back activation is comparable to the normal bent over barbell row, except that there’s a greater activation of the bicep muscle.
Also, through the pronated grip bent over barbell row, the elbows are flared out, but in Yates row (supinated grip), the elbows are tucked in and travel more parallel to the body.
But, overall it’s more of a variation which might be used as a substitute of pronated grip bent over barbell row, and each are kind of similar relating to muscle activation.
People often think that Dorion Yates performed only supinated grip bent over barbell row.
They also think, that Yates performed the supinated grip row in an upright position.
In each cases, its simply improper commentary. Dorion Yates performed each supinated and pronated grip bent over barbell rows, with extreme intensity, during his torturous training sessions. In fact, in his training videos also, he has been seeing teaching each types of barbell rows.
When people saw Yates performing a supinated grip barbell row, in a more upright position, they thought it to be a special type of bent over row. However, it Yates was not upright because he desired to, but he was upright because he needed to.
Simply attributable to the intense weights he lifted, during which the body compensated by being more upright, to stop lower back injury. The same happened with virtually every bodybuilder or athlete lifting that quantity of weight.
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