Barbell Row
Bent-over barbell rows. Core mass for the mid-back. It works mainly the lats, trapezius and rear deltoid, with help from the biceps, lower back, forearm flexors and rotator cuff.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 1.1× bodyweight (87.5 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.75× (45 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Barbell Row
- Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back until the torso is about 45 degrees to the floor, bar hanging from straight arms, overhand grip.
- Pull the bar to your lower chest or upper abdomen, driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades.
- Keep the torso angle fixed; if you have to stand up to finish the rep, the weight is too heavy.
- Lower the bar with control to straight arms and let the shoulder blades relax forward before the next rep.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Lats | Latissimus dorsi |
| Primary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
| Primary | Rear deltoid | Deltoideus posterior |
| Secondary | Biceps | Biceps brachii |
| Secondary | Lower back | Erector spinae |
| Secondary | Forearm flexors | Flexores antebrachii |
| Secondary | Rotator cuff | Musculi rotatores humeri |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Back thickness, not just width
- Whole-body tension — legs, hips, spine
- Carries straight over to the deadlift
Strength standards for Barbell Row
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.7× | 0.5× | 55 kg | 30 kg |
| Gold | 1.1× | 0.75× | 87.5 kg | 45 kg |
| Platinum | 1.45× | 1× | 115 kg | 60 kg |
| Diamond | 1.8× | 1.25× | 145 kg | 75 kg |
| Obsidian | 2.25× | 1.6× | 180 kg | 95 kg |
| Painite | 2.7× | 1.9× | 215 kg | 115 kg |
| Antimatter | 3.6× | 2.5× | 287.5 kg | 150 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Barbell Row, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
See also: strength rank calculator.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Barbell Row work?
It works mainly the lats, trapezius and rear deltoid, with help from the biceps, lower back, forearm flexors and rotator cuff.
How do you do Barbell Row?
Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back until the torso is about 45 degrees to the floor, bar hanging from straight arms, overhand grip. Pull the bar to your lower chest or upper abdomen, driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades. Keep the torso angle fixed; if you have to stand up to finish the rep, the weight is too heavy. Lower the bar with control to straight arms and let the shoulder blades relax forward before the next rep.
What is a good Barbell Row for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 1.1× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.75× for women, Diamond at 1.8× and 1.25×. For an 80 kg man that is a 87.5 kg and a 145 kg one-rep max.
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