Barbell Underhand Bent over Row

Description

How to Do Barbell Underhand Bent over Row

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with the barbell positioned directly over your midfoot.

2. 2
   Setup

   Hinge at your hips, pushing your glutes back and maintaining a neutral spine, until your torso is roughly 45-60 degrees to the floor. Grab the barbell with an underhand, shoulder-width grip, hands slightly outside your shins.

3. 3

   Brace your core, initiate the pull by retracting your shoulder blades, then drive your elbows towards the ceiling, pulling the barbell towards your lower abdomen or upper waist.

4. 4

   Squeeze your lats and biceps forcefully at the top of the movement, ensuring your elbows are tucked close to your body.

5. 5

   Slowly and with control, lower the barbell back to the starting position, allowing your arms to fully extend and your lats to stretch.

Tips

• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement by keeping your core tight and your gaze slightly forward to protect your lower back.
• Focus on pulling with your elbows, imagining them driving towards the ceiling behind you, to maximize engagement of your latissimus dorsi.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the lift, resisting the weight for 2-3 seconds, to enhance muscle growth and improve mind-muscle connection.
• Keep your chest up and shoulders pulled back and down, preventing them from shrugging towards your ears, to keep tension on the target back muscles.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding the lower back compromises spinal safety; keep your core tight and back flat by properly hinging at the hips and maintaining a neutral spine.
• ×Using excessive momentum or 'jerking' the weight reduces muscle activation; focus on a controlled pull and lower the weight if you cannot maintain form.
• ×Failing to fully extend the arms at the bottom limits the range of motion; allow a full stretch in your lats by letting the barbell descend completely.