Back / Beginner / Compound (multi-joint)

Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

A barbell exercise for the upper back, with the biceps, lats and lower back assisting.

At a glance

Primary

Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps)

Secondary

Biceps, Lats, Lower back (erectors), Upper traps, Forearms & grip

Equipment

Barbell

Movement pattern

Row, Shoulder-blade squeeze

Level

Beginner

Type

Back, Compound (multi-joint), One side at a time

How to do it

1. Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward.
2. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
3. Now grab the bar with one arm just behind the plates on the side where the weight was placed and put your other hand on your knee. This will be your starting position.
4. Pull the bar straight up with your elbow in (to maximize back stimulation) until the plates touch your lower chest. Squeeze the back muscles as you lift the weight up and hold for a second at the top of the movement. Breathe out as you lift the weight. Tip: Do not allow for any swinging of the torso. Only the arm should move.
5. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position getting a nice stretch on the lats. Tip: Do not let the plates touch the floor. To ensure the best range of motion, I recommend using small plates (25-lb ones) as opposed to larger plates (like 35-45lb ones).
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and switch arms.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Standing more upright and heaving the weight.

  Why it hurts: The lower back swings the load and the back muscles do less.

  ✓ Instead: Hold a fixed hinge angle with a braced core, or use the chest-supported version.

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