How to do the Barbell Underhand Row
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, gripping the bar with an underhand grip.
- Push your hips back and lower your torso, keeping your back straight and knees slightly bent.
- Pull the bar up towards your lower abdomen, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Stand over the bar with feet hip-width apart and take an underhand grip around shoulder width.
- Hinge at the hips until your torso is inclined forward, keeping your spine neutral and knees slightly bent.
- Let the bar hang below your shoulders with arms straight and shoulders set down away from your ears.
- Tighten your stomach and hold your torso angle steady without standing up as you row.
- Pull the bar toward your lower abdomen by driving your elbows back close to your sides.
- Reach the top when the bar meets your torso without jerking or overextending your lower back.
- Lower the bar back under control until your elbows are fully extended, keeping the same bent-over position.
Common mistakes
- Standing up during the row
- Pulling the bar too high
- Rounding through the lower back
- Letting elbows flare wide
- Using hip drive each rep
Form cues
- Row to lower abdomen
- Keep elbows close to sides
- Hold torso angle
- Use an underhand grip
- Set shoulders down
