BENT-OVER BARBELL ROWS

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To thicken the
upper back.
This exercise also helps widen the
upper back and, to a lesser degree, adds
density to the lower back.
EXECUTION: (1) Standing with feet a few
inches apart, grasp the bar with a wide,
overhand grip. With your knees slightly
bent, bend forward until your upper
body is about parallel to the floor. Keep
your back straight, head up, and let the
bar hang at arm’s length below you,
almost touching the shinbone. (2) Using
primarily the muscles of the back, lift the
bar upward until it touches the upper
abdominals, then lower it again, under
control, back to the starting position;
then immediately start your next rep. It is
important to make the back work so as
not to make this a biceps exercise. Think
of the arms and hands as hooks, a way of
transmitting the contraction of the lats to
the bar. Don’t bring the bar up to the
chest area itself; bringing it only to the
abdomen reduces the role of the arms.
Make sure your first set of any rowing
exercise is relatively light to let your
back get warmed up. By the time you get
to your last set, a little bit of cheating is
all right to get you through it, but keep it
to a minimum.