Barbell Pendlay Row

Description

How to Do Barbell Pendlay Row

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell positioned over your mid-foot. Hinge at your hips, maintaining a flat back, and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip.

2. 2
   Setup

   Lower your torso until it is nearly parallel to the floor, ensuring your shins are vertical and the barbell is touching the floor. Engage your core and keep your chest up.

3. 3

   Initiating with your back muscles, explosively pull the barbell off the floor towards your lower chest or upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

4. 4

   Briefly hold the contraction at the top, then control the barbell back down to the floor, allowing it to come to a complete stop before the next repetition.

5. 5

   Ensure the barbell settles completely on the floor and all momentum is removed before initiating the next pull. This 'dead stop' is crucial for Pendlay Rows.

Tips

• Maintain a rigid, flat back throughout the entire movement by bracing your core and driving your hips back, preventing any spinal rounding.
• Focus on an explosive pull, imagining driving your elbows towards the ceiling and squeezing your shoulder blades together to maximize back muscle engagement.
• Always let the barbell come to a complete stop on the floor between each repetition; this eliminates momentum and forces an unassisted, powerful concentric contraction.
• Keep your head in a neutral position, looking slightly forward or down, to maintain proper spinal alignment from your neck to your tailbone.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding your lower back compromises spinal safety and reduces muscle activation; maintain a rigid, flat back by bracing your core and hinging properly at the hips.
• ×Failing to reset the barbell to a dead stop between reps turns it into a standard barbell row; ensure the bar completely settles on the floor to maximize explosive power and eliminate momentum.
• ×Using excessive hip drive or body English to lift the weight reduces the back's work; focus on a controlled, powerful pull primarily from your lats and upper back, keeping your torso stable.