Sometimes, simple is best. Hall of Fame powerlifter Brad Gillingham explains why the barbell row is an essential move for any fitness routine.
I grew up in an era of minimalistic strength training equipment. I watched my father train for his Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame career in our garage gym consisting of a home-made power rack, heavy wooden bench, and a whole lot of free weights. Old-school training at its best!
As my brothers and I got old enough to lift we were raised on simple movements; cleans, deadlifts, bench press, squats, bent rows and upright rows. These basic movements formed the foundation of our strength training. Various barbell rows existed long before the advent of today’s commercial gym equipment. They were simply utilized during a different era of training.
The Evolution of the Row
There are so many different devices and machines available today to train some form of rowing motion. These may include lat pull downs, seated rows, iso-lateral rows, seated chest supported rows, T-bar rows, dumbbell rows, and many more. In my old-school opinion this training can still be accomplished with barbell upright rows and bent rows. Home gyms don’t always have the room or budget for expensive machines and racks full of dumbbells. To this day most of my training is accomplished with a power rack, lots of free weights a couple slam balls and some sandbags.
Upright Row
The upright row is a staple barbell exercise utilized to develop the deltoids, trapezius, upper back, biceps, and forearms. The placement of your grip on the bar will change the focus from deltoids (wide grip) to trapezius (narrow grip).1 The lift is completed by standing with legs slightly apart, back straight, core engaged, and gripping the bar with overhand grip. The bar is then pulled in front of the body to a height no higher than the shoulders. The bar is then returned to the starting position and the exercise is repeated for reps. I used to go very heavy in this movement during my peak powerlifting years. It was part of my upper back and shoulder training that I used to win several IPF Gold Medals in the bench press.
Upright rows have been around for a long time. I recently watched an old black and white video of the Soviet Union wrestling team training with kettle bells to perform upright rows. Strength training Guru, Marty Gallagher recently wrote an article about legendary weightlifter, powerlifter, track athlete and former Arizona State University strength coach Jon Cole. He used to routinely include 5 sets of 5-8 reps of upright rows into his programs in the 1960’s and 70’s.2 He was an incredibly strong versatile strength athlete that held several national and world records.
Technique is Key
This exercise does not come without some warnings. There are different schools of thought on whether the upright row is dangerous or not. The main critic of this exercise is that it can expose you to the risk of developing a shoulder impingement if not performed correctly. However, the safety and benefit of this exercise can out way the danger if the exercise if it is performed correctly.
There is a common general theme for all strength training exercises; don’t abandon correct form as you increase your load intensity. Athletes are cautioned when doing this exercise to avoid internal rotation of the shoulders. This can be avoided by keeping the hands wide (waist to shoulder width), drawing the shoulder blades back and locking them in during the upward pull, and by not pulling the elbows above the shoulders.3
I think this is a great exercise. I’ve incorporated it in my workouts for 50 years. I think it has helped to bullet proof my shoulders from injury. I regularly combined this exercise with shoulder press and biceps/triceps work after bench pressing. However, like all exercises, no exercise is for everyone. If you have a history of bad rotator cuff health or glenohumeral joint health you may want to choose a different assistance exercise.
Bent Row
The bent row is a raw assistance exercise that builds thick lats and tremendous upper back strength. There are several different versions of the bent row. Some of these include the classic bent row, Yates row, Pendlay row, hex bar row, cambered bar row, and bent row with variable resistance. The bent row targets the latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.1 Additionally, in order to stabilize your body position this movement also incorporates the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings. Bent rows trained without straps can also help to develop grip strength.
I have always trained the classic bent row very heavy following my deadlift training. During my prime powerlifting years I would regularly complete sets of 5 over 400 lbs. I like to pull the bar to my upper abs/lower chest region while locking in my legs, glutes, and hamstrings to limit the upright torso movement. The bent row is an exercise that has been time tested by some of the greats in the sport. One of them is Ed Coan. He is perhaps the greatest powerlifter to ever walk the planet, deadlifting over 900 lbs. at a 220 lb. bodyweight. Coan routinely trained 5-8 reps well in excess of 400 lbs. He would pull them to his lower abdomen area using strict form and execution on each rep.4
Perfect Your Technique
One of my key points for executing this lift is to start with proper technique in the down position. It is important to lock in your grip and have your hands evenly spaced on the bar. A wide grip will incorporate the rear delts and lats more than a closer grip. A closer grip will focus more on training the middle back, rhomboids, and traps. Start the upward motion by keeping your head upright, and make sure to lock in your body position by preloading hamstrings and glutes. I like to bring the bar to my upper abdominals/lower chest. This is accomplished by bending the elbows and squeezing the upper back together. Make sure to avoid too much upright position as this can put too much of the load on the lower back (stay tight). I return the bar to a position just over the floor and repeat the exercise for reps. I generally program 3-5 sets of 5.
Don’t be Afraid to Incorporate some Old School Barbell Rows
Both the upright row and the bent row are assistance lifts that have been around a long time. There’s no secret that some of the world’s best deadlifters train bent rows as assistance. Strong lats are the key to keeping the bar closer to your body during those heavy pulls. Additionally some of the world’s best bench pressers train upright rows. Strong delts and traps are key to a big bench. Like all exercises it is important to start light and use good form. Never sacrifice form when increasing your load intensity. These are both great exercises, especially for a home gym with limited equipment. Today is a great day to incorporate upright rows and bent rows into your training. Good Luck and Stay Strong!
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References
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Delavier F. Strength Training Anatomy. Human Kinetics; 2005.
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Gallagher M. Jon Cole – Powerlifter: Simply incredible: Raw with Marty Gallagher. Iron Company Fitness Equipment and Rubber Gym Flooring. April 13, 2021. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.ironcompany.com/blog/jon-cole-simply-incredible
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Hastings B. Upright rows and shoulder impingement – fit planet. Les Mills. September 1, 2021. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.lesmills.com/us/fit-planet/fitness/upright-rows
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Bell M. Ed Coan’s Favorite Skwaat and Deadlift Assistance. YouTube. June 2015. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-febRoO0gG0
