T-Bar Row
T-bar rows for massive mid-back thickness. 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 T-Bar Row
- Straddle the bar, hinge forward with a flat back to about 45 degrees and take the handles with straight arms.
- Pull the handles to your chest by driving the elbows back, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top.
- Keep the torso angle fixed and the chest up; don't stand up to finish the rep.
- Lower with control to straight arms and let the shoulder blades relax forward before the next pull.
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 T-Bar 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 T-Bar 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.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does T-Bar 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 T-Bar Row?
Straddle the bar, hinge forward with a flat back to about 45 degrees and take the handles with straight arms. Pull the handles to your chest by driving the elbows back, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top. Keep the torso angle fixed and the chest up; don't stand up to finish the rep. Lower with control to straight arms and let the shoulder blades relax forward before the next pull.
What is a good T-Bar 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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