Overhand Barbell Row Guide: Form and Technique
Master the overhand barbell row with our expert guide. Learn the correct form, avoid common mistakes, and build a stronger, thicker back.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell positioned over your mid-foot.
- Hinge at the hips and bend your knees slightly to grasp the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Maintain a flat back and a neutral spine while positioning your torso roughly parallel to the floor.
- Pull the bar toward your lower ribs by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Hold the peak contraction briefly at the top while keeping your core braced and feet firmly planted.
- Lower the barbell under control back to the starting position without letting it touch the ground between reps.
Common Mistakes
- Using momentum or swinging the torso to lift the weight
- Rounding the lower back, which increases spinal pressure
- Pulling the bar to the upper chest instead of the lower ribs
- Standing too upright and turning the movement into a shrug
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Lats
Stabilizers
- Rhomboids
- Traps
- Rear Deltoids
- Erector Spinae
Related Guides
- 1-Arm Half-Kneeling Lat Pulldown — Back
- Alternating High Cable Row — Back
- Alternative DB Gorilla rows — Back
Lats · Back