Bent Over T-Bar Row

How to Perform the Bent Over T-Bar Row

Set one end of a barbell into a landmine attachment or wedge it securely into a corner. Load weight plates on the other end.
Straddle the barbell facing the loaded end and grip the bar with both hands using a V-handle or by interlocking your fingers under the bar.
Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips until your torso is roughly 45 degrees to the floor, keeping your back flat and core braced.
Pull the barbell toward your upper abdomen by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Hold the peak contraction for a brief moment at the top, feeling the squeeze in your mid-back.
Slowly lower the weight back to full arm extension without rounding your back, and repeat.

Standing too upright and reducing back engagement

Maintain a 45-degree torso angle throughout the set to keep maximum tension on the back muscles.

Rounding the lower back during the pull

Brace your core hard and maintain a neutral spine; reduce the weight if your back starts to round.

Using arms to pull instead of the back

Think about driving your elbows behind your body and squeezing your shoulder blades; your hands are hooks, not the prime movers.

✓Allows heavy loading for building thick back muscles.
✓The fixed bar path provides stability, reducing the balance demands compared to free barbell rows.
✓Targets the mid-back and lats effectively while also engaging the biceps and grip.

●Use a V-handle attachment for a neutral grip, which many lifters find more comfortable.
●Experiment with grip width and handle type to target different areas of the back.
●Stand on plates to increase the range of motion if the loaded plates limit how far you can lower the bar.

Strength

4-5 sets of 4-6 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 12-15 reps at 55-65% 1RM

Join 2,000,000+ lifters tracking their workouts with Stronger. Available on iOS and Android.