Barbell Underhand Bent over Row

Description

How to do Barbell Underhand Bent over Row

1. 01
   Setup

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

2. 02
   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. 03

   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. 04

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

5. 05

   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.